Smoke detected on Kochi-bound Air India plane at Muscat airport; passengers evacuated, video

MUSCAT: Nearly 151 passengers were evacuated from a Kochi-bound Air India Express plane after fire and smoke were detected on the plane. The incident took place at the Muscat airport. The passengers were inside the flight when smoke was detected in one of the engines of the flight. It is reported that 16 people felt sick after inhaling the smoke.

The smoke was detected in flight IX 442, which was to depart at 11.20 am local time. India's Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has announced an inquiry into the incident. Video footage of passengers scrambling out of the emergency door after detecting smoke on the plane has gone viral on social media.

Passengers evacuated via slides after smoke on Air India Express Muscat-Cochin flight IX-442, VT-AXZ.- There were 141 passengers plus 6 crew onboard and all are safe. #airindia pic.twitter.com/OtHERoQAoZ

— Utkarsh Singh (@utkarshs88) September 14, 2022

There were 141 passengers, four children and six crew on board. The cause of the smoke is unclear. The Oman Civil Aviation Authority has confirmed the accident. Another flight from Mumbai will reach Muscat and take the passengers to Kochi, officials said.