Nagpur/Mumbai: A Mumbai-Nagpur Indigo airline flight, which was also ferrying Nagpur Today, Executive Editor Sunita Mudliar, had to make a turnaround and land at Santa Cruse Airport after its engine caught fire on Thursday.
Recalling the horrifying incident, Sunita Mudliar said, the plane was set to fly at around 11 am. However, due to some unavoidable reasons it got delayed first till 12.30 pm and touched clouds at around 1.30 pm.
“It is after spending around 45 minutes in the air, the pilot dictated the passengers that owing to some technical glitch we have to make an emergency landing at Mumbai. It is when I sensed something amiss because after spending that long time in the air, I thought we would be landing in Nagpur itself,” says Nagpur Today, Executive Editor.
“The pilot immediately took the turn and amid low altitude and constant turbulence flew us back to Mumbai.
After the pilot announced return to Mumbai, passengers could smell an acrid burning smell inside the aircraft. And then some smoke began coming in through the vents above making everyone suspect there was a fire.
After turning back, the plane flew at low altitude and made the landing at Domestic airport Santa Cruz in just about 15 minutes.
Even after the plane had landed we were asked to keep sitting. An employee sitting next to me hinted we may have to break open Emergency Exit to evacuate plane.
But after some time, the plane taxied closer to airport and ladders were brought.
But we couldn’t help noticing that a fire brigade tender soon arrived near the plane as soon as we landed.
