An Air India Express flight carrying 64 passengers was on its way to Trichy via Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh from Doha when it lost control and crashed into an electric pole on the runway. In this accident, the electric pole also tilted and fell down. The pilot maneuvered the plane to a halt, saving those on board.
This is the third such incident after the Kozhikode airport crash involving Air India Express flying from Gulf countries to southern states of India.
Following this, the passengers and crew immediately left the plane. The incident created a tense situation at the Vijayawada airport. Airport officials are investigating the crash. “All 64 passengers on board the flight and the crew are safe,” Vijayawada International Airport director G Madhusudan Rao said. “It landed safely and was being taken towards taxiway when one of the wings accidentally hit the lamp-post located on one side. The aircraft was halted and all the 64 passengers disembarked. Everybody is safe and there are no injuries to anybody,” he added.
Air India Express is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Air India, and has a market share of 7.1% in the country, according to company information on its website. The low-cost carrier operates a fleet of 24 Boeing 737- 800 Next-Generation aircraft.
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