&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Lightning strikes IndiGo aircraft with 140 people onboard at Kolkata airport. Here's what happened next")
An IndiGo aircraft carrying more than 140 passengers was struck by lightning while parked at Kolkata airport on Friday (Jun 19) morning. The shocking weather event forced the airline to ground the aircraft and arrange an alternative flight for the travellers bound for Agartala. The incident unfolded amid severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall that swept across Kolkata and neighbouring districts, disrupting traffic, causing waterlogging and affecting flight operations throughout the day.
What happened?
According to airport and airline sources, the Airbus A320neo was preparing to operate IndiGo flight 6E 6068 from Kolkata to Agartala when lightning struck the aircraft at its parking bay near aerobridge 56L. Boarding had already been completed, and passengers were seated inside the aircraft when the lightning struck the plane.
Sources said the impact caused the aircraft's power systems to shut down, prompting immediate safety checks.
Was anyone injured in the lightning strike?
While the incident caused alarm, no injuries were reported among the passengers. However, two IndiGo ground staff members were reportedly affected during the lightning strike and had to receive medical attention. Both are said to be in stable condition.
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The aircraft was subsequently grounded for inspection and further technical assessment.
With the original aircraft unable to operate the service, passengers were deboarded and shifted to another IndiGo aircraft. The replacement flight eventually departed for Agartala at around 12.50 pm, more than three hours after its scheduled departure time of 9.20 am.
Pre-monsoon thunderstorms and rain batter Eastern India
The scary incident comes as eastern India continues to witness unstable weather conditions linked to pre-monsoon activity. Kolkata airport had already issued weather-related alerts earlier in the day as thunderstorms moved across the region.
On Friday morning, IndiGo had also released a travel advisory warning passengers that adverse weather over Kolkata was affecting flight schedules. "Bad weather over Kolkata has impacted flight schedules. We are closely monitoring the weather and doing our best to get you where you need to be, safely and smoothly," it said in a X post. The carrier advised passengers to check flight status updates through its website and mobile application as weather-related disruptions continued.
