Air India Flight’s Near-Disaster: Captain’s Split-Second Move Averts Catastrophe, Passengers ‘Frighteningly Close To Tragedy’ | India News

New Delhi: Congress MP KC Venugopal was onboard Air India flight AI 2455 travelling from Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi on August 10. The flight was diverted to Chennai due to a suspected technical fault and challenging weather conditions along the route, as confirmed by the airline.

He described the ordeal as “frighteningly close to tragedy” in a post shared on X. “Air India flight AI 2455 from Trivandrum to Delhi, carrying myself, several MPs and hundreds of passengers, came frighteningly close to tragedy today.”

He detailed how the trip began with a delay and quickly escalated into a tense experience. Soon after takeoff, the plane encountered severe turbulence. About an hour into the flight, the captain announced a flight signal fault and decided to divert to Chennai. The plane circled the airport for nearly two hours, awaiting clearance to land.

Venugopal highlighted a terrifying moment during the first landing attempt. “Another aircraft was reportedly on the same runway,” he posted.

The captain’s swift decision to pull up prevented disaster. The flight successfully landed on the second attempt. “We were saved by skill and luck. Passenger safety cannot depend on luck,” Venugopal emphasised.

He called for urgent investigation and accountability, urging aviation authorities, “@DGCAIndia and @MoCA_GoI must investigate this incident urgently, fix accountability, and ensure such lapses never happen again.”

Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 shows the flight was originally scheduled to depart at 7:15 pm but took off an hour later at 8:17 pm. It was expected to arrive in Delhi by 10:45 pm but landed safely in Chennai instead.

Air India issued a statement saying, “The flight crew of AI2455 operating from Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi on August 10 made a precautionary diversion to Chennai due to a suspected technical issue and given the weather conditions en route. The flight landed safely in Chennai, where the aircraft will undergo necessary checks.”

The airline expressed regret for the inconvenience and assured that ground staff in Chennai are assisting passengers with alternative travel arrangements to their final destinations at the earliest. Air India stressed that passenger and crew safety remain their highest priority.

This incident highlights the unpredictable challenges in aviation and emphasises on the importance of swift decision-making and safety protocols in preventing potential disasters.

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