An Air India Express flight which reported a hydraulic failure shortly after take-off from the Tiruchirappalli airport in Tamil Nadu has landed safely.

The flight, AXB 613, which was headed to Sharjah with 144 passengers on board, had taken off at 5.40 pm. After the snag was reported, the plane was asked to turn back, but because it was not advisable to attempt a precautionary landing with full fuel on board, the pilots burned some of it by maintaining a holding pattern some distance from Tiruchirappalli.

The plane remained airborne for over two and a half hours, finally landing at 8.15 pm to cheers and clapping from passengers.

Reports about a possible problem with the landing gear began trickling in around 7.50 pm and the Tiruchirappalli airport made preparations for an emergency landing, keeping several ambulances on standby 

Sources said the pilot remained in constant communication with Air Traffic Control and permission was granted for a belly landing if needed, but a successful normal landing was carried out instead. A video showed the aircraft touching down with its landing gear properly engaged. 

An internal investigation has been launched to figure out the possible causes of the snag, the sources said.

Airport authorities had said around 8 pm that the plane was hovering around Tiruchirappalli to burn fuel and, according to flight tracking website Flightadar24, the flight was in the same general area for about two hours.

Tiruchirappalli Airport Director Gopalakrishnan was quoted as saying by news agency IANS that 20 ambulances and 18 fire engines were on standby at the airport for an emergency landing. 

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu had asked officials to remain on alert and aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) was also coordinating. 

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said he held an emergency meeting with officials over the phone and asked them to implement all necessary safety measures.

“I am heartened to hear that the #AirIndiaExpress flight has landed safely. Upon receiving news of the landing gear issue, I immediately coordinated an emergency meeting with officials over the phone and instructed them to implement all necessary safety measures, including deploying fire engines, ambulances, and medical assistance,” he posted on X.

I am heartened to hear that the #AirIndiaExpress flight has landed safely. Upon receiving news of the landing gear issue, I immediately coordinated an emergency meeting with officials over the phone and instructed them to implement all necessary safety measures, including…

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) October 11, 2024

“I have also now directed the District Collector to ensure the continued safety of all the passengers and to provide further assistance. My compliments to the captain and crew for the safe landing,” he said.

‘Will Investigate’

An Air India Express spokesperson said no emergency was declared by the pilots and the cause of the snag would be investigated.

“We are aware of media reports related to an Air India Express flight operating on the Tiruchirappalli-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 spokesperson said.

“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.