An Air India Express flight made an emergency landing in Bengaluru after a fire was noticed in one of the engines, said the the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) on Sunday. All the passengers and crew were evacuated and no one was injured, said the airline company in a statement.
The fire was noticed in the Kochi-bound flight minutes after the take off, reported PTI quoting sources as saying.
A full scale emergency was declared after the Air Traffic Control were alerted by the crew members. The fire was soon extinguished after the emergency landing at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru.
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"On May 18, 2024, IX 1132 from Bengaluru to Kochi made an emergency landing at BLR Airport at 2312 hrs, due to a reported fire in one of the engines," said a spokesperson from BIAL, which manages KIA, in a statement.
The spokesperson further said that a full scale emergency was declared and the fire was swiftly extinguished upon landing. All the 179 passengers and six crew members have been successfully evacuated from the aircraft, the spokesperson added.
The Bengaluru- Kochi flight 'elected' to return due to suspected flames from the right engine after takeoff and carried out a precautionary landing at Bengaluru, said an Air India Express spokesperson. The flames were reported by the ground services also after which evcaution was done.
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"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," it said.
The airline said that a thorough investigation will be carried out with the regulator and the cause will be established.