An Air India Express flight en route from Bengaluru to Kochi executed an exigent landing back at Bengaluru following the detection of a blaze in one of its engines, as disclosed by the Bangalore International Airport Limited on Sunday. All travelers and crew members were safely disembarked, with no reported injuries, according to a statement from Air India Express.
Insiders revealed that the conflagration was observed mere minutes post-departure. The flight crew promptly notified the Air Traffic Controller, triggering a comprehensive emergency response. Upon the aircraft’s swift return to Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru, the fire was swiftly extinguished.
“On May 18, 2024, flight IX 1132 from Bengaluru to Kochi executed an emergency touchdown at BLR Airport at 2312 hrs due to a reported engine fire,” a representative of the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), which oversees KIA, articulated in a communiqué. A full-scale emergency was declared, and the inferno was efficiently quenched upon arrival. All 179 passengers and six crew members were successfully evacuated from the aircraft, according to the BIAL spokesperson.
An Air India Express spokesperson elaborated that, owing to suspected flames emanating from the right engine shortly after takeoff, the flight from Bengaluru to Kochi opted to return and performed a precautionary landing at Bengaluru. Ground personnel also observed the flames, necessitating an evacuation.
“The crew executed an evacuation with no injuries to any passengers. We lament the inconvenience this incident has caused and are endeavoring to arrange alternative transport for our passengers to their final destination as expeditiously as possible,” the statement read. “A comprehensive investigation in collaboration with the regulator will be conducted to determine the cause,” it concluded.