Hyderabad-Surat flight hits jackal on runway

SURAT: A mishap was averted at Surat airport after an aircraft reportedly ran over a jackal while landing on the runway. The incident occurred on April 8 when an Indigo Airlines flight from Hyderabad landed at around 8am.

The incident came to light on Sunday.

Following the incident, forest officials intensified their efforts to trap another suspected jackal on the airport premises by installing cages.

Airport officials said the jackal's small size prevented any major impact on the aircraft, which safely reached the apron. Following standard protocol, the aircraft underwent a thorough inspection and was found fit for flying.

"The incident occurred during landing. We carried out a detailed inspection of the aircraft as per protocol but found no damage," said a senior airport official.

"The same aircraft usually operates a Dubai flight from Surat after arriving from Hyderabad. However, the Dubai service was not scheduled that day due to the Iran conflict, so the aircraft departed for its next destination later that night," he said.

During the incident, the jackal was split into two parts. Its remains were later handed over to forest department officials. "As airport authorities informed us that a couple of jackals were straying near the runway, we had already placed cages in the area for the past few months. However, jackals are clever and difficult to trap. We have also tried other methods but without success. We suspect at least one more jackal may still be inside the campus," forest department sources said.

Jackals often seen around airport

The area around Surat airport has traditionally been a habitat for jackals, which find food such as fish, birds and small animals nearby. Earlier, a nallah running along the airport wall provided an entry route for them into the premises. However, after the opening was sealed with iron grills a few months ago, officials suspect that a couple of jackals may have been trapped inside the airport compound. The jackal killed in the recent incident is believed to have been one of them.


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