A Riyadh bound Air India aircraft flying from Kozhikode to Riyadh with 197 passengers apart from the crew members on board aborted its journey by making an emergency landing at the Cochin International Airport here on Saturday, triggering panic among the passengers.
Airline officials said the flight AI 901 operating in the Kochi-Calicut-Riyadh sector was landed here after being airborne for nearly one and half hours when the crew onboard reported fumes at the cabin side. The pilot passed on the information to the Air Traffic Control (ATC) authorities who, in turn, alerted the airport operator to provide for a full-course emergency landing of the aircraft.
The aircraft was grounded safely by 8:20 am even as the security and rescue officials took their position accordingly to face any contingency. After evacuating the passengers off the plane, it was shifted to the isolation bay for a maintenance check.
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The flight originated its travel from the airport here at 4:30 am and resumed its onward journey from Kozhikode two hours later. The passengers have been shifted to the nearby hotels and are expected to resume their journey in a relief aircraft to be brought here by the evening, said the airline’s official spokesperson.