Small aircraft skids, no one injured

Kolkata, Nov 30 (UNI) The main runway at the Netaji Subash Chandra Bose International Airport (NSCBIA) was closed for one and a half hours here today after a small aircraft skidded off the runway after touch-down.

However, the captain and co-pilot of the aircraft coming from Bangkok had a narrow escape in the accident that occurred at 1048 hours.

The aircraft, which was on its way to Mumbai, had landed here for refuelling, sources said.

The other flights operated normally using the parallel runway, airport authorities said.

''The aircraft after touch-down, swerved to its right side and skidded 22 metres away from the runway on the adjoining ground, Airport director V K Monga told UNI.

Immediately after the accident the airport authorities began a rescue operation to get the aircraft back on the runway, for which all flight operations on the main runway had to be stopped.

''There was no apparent reason for the skid, however, we suspect a pilot error to be the reason behind the accident,'' Air traffic control sources said.

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