New Delhi: A major aviation mishap was narrowly averted early Sunday at Indira Gandhi International Airport after an engine fire broke out in a Swiss Air flight scheduled to depart for Zurich.
Six passengers were injured during the emergency evacuation.
What happened?
The Swiss Airlines Airbus A330 (Flight LX147) was accelerating on the runway around 1:08 am when engine number 1 suddenly failed and caught fire. Alert pilots immediately aborted the take-off and brought the aircraft to a halt on the runway, preventing a potential disaster.
There were 228 passengers on board, including four infants. Due to the fire scare, passengers were evacuated onto the runway using emergency slides. During the evacuation, six passengers sustained injuries after falling in panic and were rushed to Medanta Hospital for treatment. All crew members are reported safe, the airline said.
Runway closed
Following the incident, runway number 28 was temporarily shut, and operations to remove the aircraft are underway. A technical team from Switzerland is expected to arrive in Delhi to determine the exact cause of the engine failure.
Passenger arrangements
The airline stated that alternative flight arrangements and hotel accommodation are being provided to affected passengers after the cancellation. Security and precautionary measures have been heightened at the airport.