All 140 aboard Trichy-Sharjah Air India Express flight safe; DGCA orders probe

Tiruchirapalli: All 140 passengers on the Air India Express flight from Tiruchirapalli to Sharjah were safe after the plane landed at Tiruchirapalli airport on Friday evening, the sources in the airline said.

The aircraft, after experiencing a technical snag, circled for more than two hours before landing. Following the landing, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) grounded the aircraft and ordered a probe, said sources.

Air India Express Flight 613, which departed from Tiruchirapalli at 5:30 pm, encountered an issue with its landing gear. The plane circled the city to reduce fuel before safely landing around 8:15 pm. An alternate aircraft has been arranged for the passengers.

An Air India Express spokesperson stated, “We are aware of media reports related to an Air India Express flight operating on the Tiruchirapalli – Sharjah route. We would like to clarify that no emergency was declared by the operating crew.”

“After reporting a technical snag, the aircraft circled multiple times in the designated area as an abundant precaution, to reduce fuel and weight considering the runway length, before making a safe precautionary landing. The cause of the snag will be duly investigated. In the interim, an alternative aircraft is being arranged for the onward journey of our guests. We regret the inconvenience and reiterate our commitment to prioritising safety in every aspect of our operations,” the spokesperson added.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation confirmed the safe landing, with the DGCA monitoring the situation.

“The Air India Express Flight IX 613 from Tiruchirapalli to Sharjah has landed safely at Tiruchirapalli airport. DGCA was monitoring the situation. The landing gear was functioning. The flight landed normally, and the airport was put on alert,” the MoCA said.

Airport Director Gopalakrishnan mentioned that over 20 ambulances and fire tenders were on standby during the landing.