A Delhi-bound Air India aircraft suffered damage after it collided with a luggage tractor while taxiing towards the runway at Pune Airport, officials said on Friday.
The mishap unfolded on Thursday as the flight was preparing to depart from Pune at 4pm. Due to the damage to the aircraft, the flight was delayed and the passengers were deplaned. There were around 180 passengers on board.
“The aircraft, carrying around 180 passengers, suffered damage to its nose and a tyre near the landing gear. Despite the collision, all passengers and crew on board are reported to be safe,” an airport official told news agency ANI.
A passenger told TOI that they were seated in the aircraft for over an hour before being told to disembark. He added that there was no communication from the crew during that time. "After the extended wait, the pilot eventually informed us that the aircraft had collided with a luggage trolley and could not proceed. Subsequently, we were told to deplane and were escorted back to the terminal," he said.
The passenger added that the entire check-in and security process was repeated while they boarded another plane which departed at 9:56pm. "We were provided with water and snacks around 8pm," he said.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched an inquiry to determine the cause of the collision. Preliminary reports suggest that the tug truck, used for manoeuvring the aircraft on the ground, struck the plane during the taxiing process. The DGCA's investigation will focus on operational protocols and possible lapses that led to the incident.
This incident follows a similar occurrence last Friday when a ladder belonging to IndiGo collided with a chartered aircraft carrying Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma during his election campaign in Pune.
(With ANI inputs)
