An Air India Express flight traveling from Hyderabad to Phuket met with an accident during landing on Wednesday afternoon. As soon as the aircraft touched down on the runway, its nose gear broke and the front wheel detached. The runway was closed for some time as a precautionary measure after the incident. However, all 133 passengers on board the aircraft were safely evacuated and no injuries have been reported.
Nose Gear Broke in Hard Landing
The airline’s Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft was landing at Phuket International Airport on Wednesday afternoon. According to officials, the landing was quite hard, due to which the front wheel of the aircraft detached and the nose landing gear was damaged.
Runway Had to Be Closed for Some Time
Immediately after the incident, airport authorities temporarily closed the runway for safety reasons. This also affected the operations of some other flights, and several flights experienced delays.
Passengers Evacuated Under Emergency Protocol
All 133 passengers on board the aircraft were safely evacuated under emergency protocols. The good news was that no passenger or crew member was reported injured in this incident.
Airline Issued a Statement
The airline stated that crew members followed all standard safety protocols and passengers were safely evacuated. The aircraft is currently parked at the airport, and further procedures are underway.
Investigation into Incident Possible
As the flight belongs to an Indian airline, the DGCA may take cognizance of this matter. Moreover, the Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft has already been under global scrutiny and investigation, so a detailed investigation into this incident is also expected.
