Mishap averted at Patna airport as Indigo flight's engine stalls during take- off

PATNA: A major mishap was averted at

Jayaprakash Narayan International Airport

in Patna on Friday evening as the engine of an aircraft of

Indigo airlines

developed snag seconds before take- off on the runway.

An official statement from Indigo airlines stated that the

flight 6E- 508

was involved in a

low- speed reject

due to

suspected engine stall

. The airlines further stated that all 174 passengers onboard the aircraft were evacuated safely within 60 second as per standard operating procedures (SOP).

The airlines affirmed that the captain decided to reject take- off and evacuate the passengers as precautionary measure after the flight crew noticed smoke in the cabin. The airlines however, categorically ruled out any tyre burst or engine fire. The airlines added that there was no technical snag reported when aircraft arrived at

Patna airport

.



The passengers were evacuated through the gates using evacuation slide- an inflatable slide packed and held within the door structure to evacuate an aircraft quickly. Few of the passengers reportedly suffered minor injuries as well as they slid down from the aircraft during evacuation.

Talking to TOI soon after being evacuated from the aircraft, Dhruv Mukherjee, additional advocate general at Patna high court said: "The aircraft had almost completed its take- off run and it was about to get air- borne within two to five seconds, when there was a loud noise. The pilot immediately applied emergency brakes. After 30 seconds, the captain announced from the cockpit to evacuate the flight immediately, leaving behind all luggage."

Mukherjee added: "The aircraft crew guided the passengers in getting out of the aircraft using the evacuation slide though a few passengers suffered minor injuries while getting down."