PUNE: An Indian Air Force (IAF) Sukhoi fighter jet made an emergency landing at Pune International Airport on Friday night due to a suspected technical snag. The incident occurred at approximately 10:25 PM, leading to the temporary closure of the runway and causing widespread disruption to both domestic and international flight operations.
The aircraft was on a routine night training mission when the technical fault was detected, prompting the pilots to perform an emergency landing on the main runway. While the IAF confirmed that the crew is safe and no major damages occurred, the position of the aircraft led to an immediate suspension of airport activity. Major airlines, including IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet, Akasa Air, and Air India Express, had to cancel or divert several flights, with IndiGo being the most affected.
Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol, and IAF officials stated that efforts are underway to clear the runway and restore normal operations as quickly as possible. This marks the second significant incident involving a Sukhoi-30 MKI this year. Earlier on March 5, a Sukhoi jet crashed in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district, tragically resulting in the death of two pilots.
With input from KN.
For more details: Navamalayalam.com