Close shave for 252 people as Air Mauritious plane catches fire

New Delhi, Jul 24 (UNI) A major tragedy was averted at the Indira Gandhi International Airport this afternoon when fire was detected in the undercarriage following an apparent bird hit on an Air Mauritius aircraft which was about to take off.

Sources at IGI Airport said the captain of the aircraft noticed a fire in the undercarriage as the Airbus A 330 200 was about to take off for Mauritius from runway 27. He aborted the take-off and informed the air traffic controller who in turn pressed the fire tenders.

The passengers were evacuated from the plane using chutes around 1420 hrs and the fire was extinguished soon after that, sources added.

The aircraft was carrying 241 passengers and 11 crew members.

The capitan of the aircraft had reported that a bird had hit the aircraft as it was about to take off.

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