A full emergency was declared on Tuesday morning after a SpiceJet flight bound for Leh from Delhi developed a technical snag mid-air and returned to the national capital.
According to officials aware of the development, the aircraft returned to Delhi "following an Engine Number 2 failure". The Boeing 737 was carrying around 150 passengers at the time. The flight landed safely at approximately 6.45 am.
Further details about the nature of the engine issue are awaited.
Aircraft lands safely, passengers disembark
In a statement, a SpiceJet spokesperson confirmed that the flight operating from Delhi to Leh on February 24 experienced a technical issue shortly after departure and returned as a precaution.
“The aircraft landed safely in Delhi, and all passengers were disembarked normally. There was no fire warning in the cockpit,” the spokesperson said.
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Airport officials initiated full emergency procedures as a standard safety measure. Such protocols are typically activated to ensure that emergency services remain on standby during priority landings. There were no immediate reports of injuries.
IndiGo flight diverted due to dust storm
In a separate incident on Sunday, an IndiGo flight from Ahmedabad with 144 passengers on board was diverted to Imphal after a sudden dust storm reduced visibility at Dibrugarh airport to unsafe levels.
Flight 6E-6457, operating from Ahmedabad to Dibrugarh via Guwahati, departed Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati at 10.20 am, officials said. The aircraft had been scheduled to land in Dibrugarh at 11.15 am.
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"While it was scheduled to touch down at Dibrugarh airport at 11.15 am, the arrival coincided with a heavy dust storm that significantly hampered operations. Conditions on the ground fell well below the minimum safety thresholds required for a safe landing, and the visibility was dangerously low", the official said.
With landing deemed unsafe, the crew diverted the aircraft to Bir Tikendrajit International Airport in Imphal as a precaution.
