Accident averted at Thiruvananthapuram airport; Air India flight makes emergency landing

SHANGHUMUGHAM: Air India Express flight IX 540, which arrived at Thiruvananthapuram airport with 148 passengers from Dubai, made an emergency landing. The incident happened around 5:30 yesterday morning.

When the plane was preparing for landing, the wear of the front tire was noticed by the pilot through the monitor in the cockpit. The pilot informed the air traffic control tower that there was a possibility of tire burst if the plane was brought down to the runway at high speed. Realizing that an emergency landing would have to be made, the air traffic control gave a message to circle the sky for some more time. After that preparations were made for an emergency landing. Firefighting units of the airport were stationed on all four sides of the runway. Fire force units from Chacka also arrived. More than 10 ambulances and medical teams from the city's hospitals arrived to provide emergency medical assistance. All this time the plane was circling in the sky. After confirming everything, the air traffic control cleared the plane for an emergency landing. As the atmospheric pressure, wind direction, and temperature were favorable, the aircraft made an emergency landing on Runway No. 32 on the Muttathara side of the airport at a speed of 850 kmph. The rescue workers were relieved when the plane stopped on the runway without any other accidents.