An incident of significant magnitude unfolded as more than 160 individuals narrowly avoided catastrophe aboard a Sharjah-Surat flight operated by Air India Express. The aircraft, upon landing at Surat International Airport, collided with an immobile truck positioned on the runway, causing damage to one of its wings. Miraculously, none of the passengers sustained injuries during the mishap.
Reports indicate that the unsettling event transpired at approximately 11:15 pm on the night of March 13, Wednesday. The Air India Express flight, with a capacity of 180 seats, executed a routine touchdown at the airport before proceeding towards the apron area. However, as it traversed the runway, it unexpectedly collided with a stationary truck, resulting in the unfortunate damage to its wing. Fortunately, the occupants remained unharmed.
Authorities from the Airport Authority have disclosed that the flight was carrying more than 160 passengers at the time of the incident. A comprehensive report detailing the circumstances surrounding the collision has been meticulously compiled and furnished to the Director General of Civil Aviation for review.
In light of the incident, the affected aircraft has been temporarily grounded pending further investigation by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Subsequent to a thorough inquiry, flight operations will resume once the requisite approvals are obtained.
Official sources from the airport have revealed that ongoing construction activities aimed at establishing a parallel taxi track have been progressing fervently. Trucks are regularly employed to transport construction materials for this purpose. However, it appears that the mishap was precipitated by the negligent placement of a truck along the runway.
Notably, a similar incident occurred on February 28, resulting in the obstruction of runway operations and subsequent flight disruptions. The protracted construction of the parallel taxi track, spanning approximately five years, has been met with numerous challenges. Despite the completion of a segment of the track leading towards Vesu, authorization for its utilization has yet to be granted by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. In May 2021, the Director of Surat Airport issued a directive urging the construction company to expedite the project; however, the completion of the Parallel Taxi Track (PTT) remains pending.