Aircraft develops snag mid-air, lands safely at Chennai airport

Chennai, Oct 17 (UNI) Two aircraft, one in the domestic sector and another on the International route developed snag mid-air today.

According to airport sources, the Delhi-bound Kingfisher aircraft, carrying Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan, two MPs and 60 passengers, which took off from the Kamaraj Domestic airport here this morning developed a technical snag, mid-air.

The pilot immediately sent an urgent message to Air Traffic Control, seeking permission to land the flight.

The airport authorities, after making safety arrangements, asked the pilot to return. As soon as the plane landed safely at 0715 hrs, all the passengers were disembarked.

While the two MPs --Karvendan and J M Haroon cancelled their journey, the Union Minister waited at the airport lounge.

After the authorities gave clearance, Ms Jagadeesan and other passengers left by the same aircraft to New Delhi.

In the other incident, a Kuala Lumpur-bound Air India Express aircraft, which took off from the Anna International airport early morning with 162 passengers and six crew on board, developed a snag mid-air.

After the pilot informed the ATC, and safety arrangements made, the aircraft landed safely at 0715 hrs.

The passengers were accommodated in another aircraft which left for Kuala Lumpur at 1110 hrs, sources said.

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