NEW DELHI: An Air India Airbus A320 veered off the runway while landing at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport during heavy rainfall on Monday, damaging the aircraft and causing disruption to airport operations.
The incident involved flight AI2744, which had flown from Kochi in the southern Indian state of Kerala.
According to Air India, all passengers and crew were safely offloaded following the incident.
The airline did not immediately confirm whether any injuries occurred.
In a statement, Mumbai International Airport described the event as a “runway excursion” and confirmed that the aircraft had caused “minor damages” to the primary runway.
As a result, a secondary runway was activated to ensure uninterrupted flight operations.
Air India stated that the aircraft had been grounded and would undergo detailed technical checks.
A report by the Times of India, citing sources familiar with the matter, said that three tyres of the aircraft burst during landing.
Television footage aired by NDTV and India Today showed visible damage to the engine’s outer casing, including apparent cracks.
The incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of Air India’s safety standards.
Last month, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner operated by the airline crashed in the western city of Ahmedabad, resulting in the deaths of 260 people. Investigations into the crash are ongoing.
Adding to Air India’s regulatory woes, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) earlier this month announced plans to investigate the airline’s low-cost subsidiary, Air India Express.
The decision follows a Reuters report that the carrier failed to comply with a directive to replace engine components on another Airbus A320 aircraft and subsequently falsified maintenance records to show compliance.
