An Air India Express flight travelling from Jeddah to Kozhikode with 160 passengers on board was forced to make an emergency landing at the Cochin International Airport on Thursday, following a technical
issue involving its landing gear and tyre failure, officials said. The aircraft, operating as flight IX 398, was diverted to Kochi after the problem was detected mid-flight.
Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), in a detailed statement, said it successfully facilitated the safe emergency landing of the aircraft, which touched down at 9:07 am under full emergency conditions. “All emergency services were activated in advance, and there were no injuries reported among passengers or crew,” a CIAL spokesperson said. A post-landing inspection confirmed that both tyres on the right main landing gear had burst due to the technical failure.
Air India Express later issued a statement explaining the cause of the diversion. “Our Jeddah–Kozhikode flight was diverted to Kochi and made a precautionary landing due to suspected damage to the aircraft’s tyre likely caused by a foreign object on the runway at Jeddah airport. The aircraft landed safely in Kochi, and all guests are being connected to Kozhikode by road. We regret the inconvenience caused and reiterate that safety remains our highest priority in every aspect of our operations,” an Air India Express spokesperson said.
Following the inspection and safety clearance procedures, the runway was cleared and released for regular operations, CIAL added. The incident did not lead to any further disruption of scheduled flights, and authorities praised the coordinated response that ensured the safe handling of the emergency situation.
