Investigation Launched After Air India Aircraft Damaged by Severe Weather
Incident Overview
Representational image
New Delhi, June 8: Authorities have commenced an investigation following damage to three Air India planes stationed at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. The incident occurred due to ground support equipment being displaced amid sudden adverse weather.
As reported by Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), the event transpired on Sunday at Terminal 2 when strong winds and heavy rain caused ground handling equipment to shift and collide with the parked Air India narrow-body aircraft.
In response to the incident, all three planes have been taken out of service for thorough inspections and necessary repairs.
DIAL noted that the displaced equipment was part of Air India Engineering Services and IndiGo’s ground handling operations.
Officials indicated that the weather conditions changed abruptly, and neither the airport operator nor the airlines received prior alerts about the sudden weather shift from Air Traffic Control (ATC).
As of now, Air India has not issued any statements regarding the incident.
Additionally, reports suggest that other aircraft from different operators were also impacted by the severe weather.
Currently, two of the affected Air India aircraft are anticipated to resume operations shortly, while repairs on the third may take a longer duration.
This incident highlights the growing operational difficulties caused by unexpected weather disruptions, especially during heavy rainfall and strong winds.
The Delhi-NCR region has recently experienced a sudden weather shift, with rainfall affecting various areas. Visuals from around Indira Gandhi International Airport depicted rain sweeping through multiple localities nearby.
Furthermore, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted another round of light to moderate rainfall, along with thunderstorms and gusty winds reaching speeds of up to 60 km/h on June 11 and 12.