Kolkata Airport Incident
A routine day at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata was disrupted when a catering vehicle experienced an unforeseen lurch. This
mishap occurred at Bay No. 51, where the vehicle, described as a third-party unmanned vehicle on the apron, moved unexpectedly upon startup. Tragically, this forward momentum brought it into contact with a parked IndiGo aircraft, specifically impacting its engine. While the damage is reported as minor, the incident necessitated the grounding of the aircraft for comprehensive safety checks and necessary repairs before it could resume its flight schedule. The airline is cooperating fully with the relevant authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Aircraft Status & Reassignment
Following the collision, the affected IndiGo aircraft has been taken out of service to undergo a thorough inspection and any required maintenance. This precautionary measure ensures the aircraft's airworthiness and passenger safety before it can be cleared for operations again. As a consequence of this grounding, one scheduled flight, 6E 6663, which was due to travel from Kolkata to Guwahati, had to be reassigned to an alternative aircraft. This swift action helped minimize further disruption to passenger travel plans, though the focus remains on the investigation and the repair of the damaged aircraft.
Past Incidents Context
This recent event at Kolkata airport is not an isolated occurrence in the aviation sector. Previously, in February, two aircraft – an IndiGo flight and an Air India flight – experienced wingtip clippings while taxiing at Mumbai airport; fortunately, all passengers aboard were reported safe in that incident. Another past event, in August, involved an IndiGo Airbus A321 whose tail struck the runway in Mumbai during a low-altitude go-around maneuver, an event attributed to adverse weather conditions. Despite these past near-misses and incidents, there have been no reported injuries or major mishaps directly linked to these ground operations or flight events.
