IndiGo’s Guwahati-Chennai flight makes emergency landing at Bengaluru airport after pilot’s ‘Mayday’ call: Reports
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IndiGo’s Guwahati-Chennai flight makes emergency landing at Bengaluru airport after pilot’s ‘Mayday’ call: Report
An IndiGo flight from Guwahati to Chennai with 168 passengers on board made an emergency landing at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) The captain gave a ‘Mayday’ call — a distress call via radio communication – citing insufficient fuel in the plane. The incident comes on the heels of an Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad that claimed the lives of 241 passengers, leaving one survivor.
The pilot of IndiGo flight 6E-6764 (A321), which departed from Guwahati at 4:40 PM, attempted to land in Chennai at around 7:45 PM. However, after the aircraft’s landing gear touched the runway, the pilot opted for a ‘go around’ in what is known as a ‘balked landing’. “About 35 miles from Bengaluru airport, the captain made a ‘Mayday’ call,” TOI reported citing sources.
Describing the situation, a passenger said, “The sudden and steep climb had many passengers on the edge of their seats, some visibly frightened.” The individual chose to remain unnamed.
Multiple sources at the airport and Air Traffic Control (ATC) confirmed to TOI that the pilot did not attempt a second landing in Chennai. Instead, he chose to divert the flight to Bengaluru.
Sources at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) told TOI:, “After getting the distress call, the ATC alerted the on-ground staff members who swung into action. Medical and fire services personnel were in place. The aircraft landed safely at 8.20pm.”
Both the pilots involved have been taken off duty, although IndiGo has not confirmed this. The IndiGo plane, which was critically low on fuel, made a safe landing in Bengaluru.
Guwahati-Chennai IndiGo Flight Diverted To Bengaluru After Fuel Emergency: ‘Mayday’
An IndiGo flight en route from Guwahati to Chennai was forced to make an emergency landing at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport on Friday evening. The Airbus A321 aircraft, operating as flight 6E-6764, was carrying 168 passengers. The captain issued a distress ‘Mayday’ call following critically low fuel levels, as per a report on Times of India. The Civil Aviation Ministry convened a high-level review meeting on Thursday.
Later, the captain issued a distress ‘Mayday’ call following critically low fuel levels, as per a report on Times of India.
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The flight had initially departed Guwahati at 4:40 p.m. and attempted to land in Chennai around 7:45 p.m. However, after a brief touchdown, the pilot diverted the plane to Bengaluru, reported India Today. The aircraft landed safely, and no injuries were reported. IndiGo has yet to issue an official comment.
In a separate incident earlier that day, another IndiGo flight, 6E-2006 from Delhi to Leh, was forced to return to Delhi after encountering technical issues mid-flight.
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Civil Aviation Ministry Reviews Safety Measures
The back-to-back incidents have added to concerns over aerial operational reliability and safety. In response, the Civil Aviation Ministry convened a high-level review meeting on Thursday. According to official sources, as quoted by PTI, the review covered safety protocols, aircraft maintenance standards, and service reliability amid increasing disruptions in the aviation sector.
The ministry’s intervention comes in the wake of mounting scrutiny following a catastrophic accident on June 12, when Air India flight AI171 crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad en route to London. The crash claimed the lives of nearly all 242 passengers and crew onboard, along with 29 civilians on the ground, after the aircraft collided with a local healthcare facility in the Meghaninagar area.
What Is ‘Mayday’?
The term “Mayday” is an internationally recognized distress signal used mainly in aviation and maritime emergencies. It indicates that an aircraft or vessel is in a life-threatening situation and requires immediate assistance. The distress call is usually repeated three times—”Mayday, Mayday, Mayday”—to ensure clarity and prevent confusion with regular radio communication.