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An Air India Express Sharjah-bound flight from Tiruchirappalli experienced a mid-air technical glitch shortly after takeoff on Friday, forcing the plane to circle multiple times in the sky to reduce fuel and weight before landing safely, according to the airline's spokesperson.
The flight, which took off at 5.30 pm from Tiruchirappalli with 141 passengers, landed safely at around 8.15 pm.
Immediately after taking off, the aircraft experienced a fault related to hydraulic systems, the landing gear.
An Air India Express spokesperson said,"...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."
In a statement, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said the airport and emergency teams responded swiftly and effectively after a full emergency was declared at 18.05 hours.
Aviation regulator DGCA is set to conduct a thorough examination of the hydraulic failure in the Tiruchirappalli-Sharjah flight to ascertain the cause of the glitch.
A senior Boeing pilot said that narrow body planes like Boeing 737 do not have the option to dump fuel and can only burn fuel. So, in this case, the aircraft had to go around to burn fuel and bring down the overall weight.
In emergency conditions, the pilot said overweight landing could be permitted but that option is exercised by the operating crew only if there are criticial issues like fire.
The option to eject fuel is available in wide body planes like Boeing 777 and 787.
The flight IX 613 was operated with a Boeing 737 aircraft.
Under the regulations, an aircraft can only have a specified weight at the time of landing for the safety purpose.
Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi thanked the Captain and co-pilot for the safe landing of the flight.
In a post on 'X', he said, "Many thanks to the Captain and the Co-Pilot for the safe landing of flight IX613 from
Tiruchirappalli to Sharjah after the landing gear glitch. The courage and calm professionalism of the cockpit and cabin crew truly shone during this trying and tense moment.
"Heartfelt appreciation goes out to everyone involved, including emergency services, for ensuring the safety of all on board. Wishing everyone smooth travels ahead!"
As soon as he was apprised on the matter, Chief Minister M K Stalin said he held an emergency meeting with officials and directed them to follow all safety measures. Later, he congratulated the flight captain and crew for the safe landing.
The chief minister in a post on 'X' said: "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.
"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."
Earlier, as part of protocol, fire tenders, rescue personnel and ambulances had been rushed to the airport. Aviation regulator DGCA was monitoring the situation.