Varanasi, Jan 12: An IndiGo flight traveling from Gorakhpur to Bengaluru made an emergency landing at Varanasi airport on Sunday night following a bird hit. Airport officials confirmed that the aircraft, flight 6E 437, sustained damage to its front section during the encounter mid-air.
The pilot immediately established contact with Varanasi Air Traffic Control to request an emergency diversion. All 216 passengers on board were evacuated safely once the plane touched down on the tarmac.
“All passengers are safe. We made arrangements to fly some travelers to their destination on Monday, while others were booked on alternative flights,” stated Airport Director Puneet Gupta.
Technical teams inspected the aircraft upon landing to assess the impact on the nose of the plane. The decision to divert was made as a precautionary measure due to the potential risk to flight systems after the collision.
The airport authorities managed the ground operations to ensure a smooth exit for the stranded passengers. Travelers spent the night awaiting local arrangements before the airline facilitated their onward journeys the following day.
