Breaking: Full-Scale Emergency at Bengaluru Airport After Air India Express Plane’s Engine Catches Fire
Full-Scale Emergency at Bengaluru Airport After Air India Express Plane's Engine Catches Fire
Bengaluru, 19th May – A full-scale emergency was declared at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) late Saturday night when an Air India Express flight bound for Kochi was forced to return due to a fire in one of its engines. The emergency response ensured the safe landing and evacuation of all passengers and crew on board.
Incident Overview
• Air India Express Flight IX 1132 from Bengaluru to Kochi.
• The flight made an emergency landing at 11:12 PM on Saturday, May 18, 2024.
• 179 passengers and six crew members.
Emergency Declaration and Response
The incident began when the pilots of the Air India Express flight noticed suspected flames in the aircraft’s right engine shortly after takeoff. Following established safety protocols, they decided to return to KIA for a precautionary landing.
Kempegowda International Airport declared a full-scale emergency in response to the situation. Upon landing, the fire in the engine was promptly extinguished by airport emergency services.
All passengers and crew were successfully evacuated without injuries.
Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), which manages KIA, released a statement:
“On May 18, 2024, IX 1132 from Bengaluru to Kochi made an emergency landing at Bengaluru airport at 11:12 PM, due to a reported fire in one of the engines. A full-scale emergency was declared, and the fire was promptly extinguished upon landing. All 179 passengers and six crew members were successfully evacuated from the aircraft.”
Air India Express also issued a statement:
“Due to suspected flames from the right engine after takeoff, the Bengaluru-Kochi flight elected to return and carried out a precautionary landing at Bengaluru. The ground services also reported flames, resulting in an evacuation. The crew accomplished an evacuation with no injuries to any guests. We regret the inconvenience this has caused and are working to provide alternative arrangements for our guests to reach their destination as soon as possible. A thorough investigation with the regulator shall be accomplished to establish the cause.”
Air India Express is coordinating with regulators to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the engine fire. In the meantime, efforts are being made to provide alternative travel arrangements for the affected passengers.
This emergency comes just days after a similar incident at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA). On Thursday, May 16, 2024, an Air India flight heading to Bengaluru returned to Delhi due to a fire in the plane’s AC unit. The flight, AI 1807, also declared a full-scale emergency but landed safely with all 175 passengers unharmed.
The swift actions of the flight crew and airport emergency services at Kempegowda International Airport ensured the safety of all passengers and crew on board Flight IX 1132. This incident underscores the importance of rigorous safety protocols and emergency preparedness in aviation.
