Bhubaneswar, May 1 (PTI) A flight from Bhubaneswar to New Delhi returned minutes after take-off and made an emergency landing after the aircraft was caught in a hailstorm and suffered damage on Wednesday, an official said.
The 169 passengers and crew on board are safe.
The New Delhi-bound Vistara flight landed back at the Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) here barely 10 minutes after taking off, the officials said.
The aircraft's windshield developed a crack due to the hailstorm that lashed several parts of Odisha this afternoon.
"A windshield has been damaged, while no harm was caused to the passengers," BPIA Director Prasanna Pradhan said.
Meanwhile, the airline in a statement said, “We confirm that Vistara flight UK788 encountered adverse weather soon after take-off, resulting in a crack in its windshield and minor damage to the radome.” Radome is the 'nose' of an aircraft where the airborne weather radar is hidden.
"The aircraft is undergoing necessary checks before resuming operations. In the meanwhile, an alternate aircraft has been arranged to complete the journey, which will depart shortly," the statement read.
It said the airline is making efforts to minimize inconvenience to passengers by taking measures such as offering refreshments and meals.
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