A video showing an IndiGo flight struggling to land in Chennai amid Cyclone Fengal’s landfall has gone viral. The footage captures the aircraft battling heavy turbulence as the cyclone brought intense rain and strong winds to the city. In a dramatic moment, the plane aborts its landing attempt, tilting dangerously to the left just feet above the runway before climbing back into the air.
IndiGo confirmed the incident, stating that the Mumbai-Chennai flight encountered severe weather conditions, including heavy rain and gusty winds, which led to the go-around—a standard procedure when a safe landing isn’t possible.
“Due to adverse weather conditions, including rain and strong, gusty winds (which later led to the closure of Chennai airport), the cockpit crew of flight 6E 683, operating between Mumbai and Chennai, executed a go-around on November 30, 2024, in accordance with established safety protocols,” said IndiGo.
The airline assured that such maneuvers are standard procedure, and the pilots are thoroughly trained to manage such challenging situations.
“This is a standard and safe maneuver, and our pilots are extensively trained to handle such situations with the utmost professionalism. A go-around is performed when a safe landing cannot be achieved, as was the case with this flight,” the statement added.
The plane eventually landed in Chennai at around 12:40 pm, just before the airport suspended operations for the day due to the cyclone. Cyclone Fengal made landfall overnight, causing heavy rainfall across northern Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The downpour led to waterlogging in several areas of Chennai, and at least three people lost their lives in rain-related incidents.