An Air India flight bound for Delhi experienced a collision with a tug truck while taxiing towards the runway at Pune Airport. The incident occurred when around 180 passengers were onboard.
"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 ANI.
Emergency protocols were swiftly enacted, ensuring the safety of everyone involved. Airport officials have confirmed the incident and stated that "the passengers were immediately deplaned and arrangements were made for an alternative flight to Delhi."
In a statement, Air India said, “There was an incident related to one of our aircraft, which was to operate Pune to Delhi, at the time of its pushback. The aircraft was held back for checks, all passengers were offloaded safely, and the flight was cancelled. Passengers were eventually refunded their full fares and offered complimentary rescheduling. Those with onward international connections were flown to Delhi by other carriers. An investigation into the incident has already been initiated.”
DGCA launches inquiry
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. Airport operations continued without significant disruption, although the affected aircraft was taken out of service for detailed inspection and repairs for a brief period and is now ready for operations. Further updates are expected as the investigation progresses.
(With inputs from ANI)
