An IndiGo Airbus A320 aircraft parked at the apron area of Kolkata airport was damaged on Tuesday night after a vehicle carrying Oberoi catering officials crashed into its right engine. Airline engineers are currently checking the extent of the damage, according to a report by The Times of India.
Initial reports suggest that the damage is quite serious and the aircraft may remain grounded for several days, the report mentioned. The airport authority has started an investigation into the incident.
No passengers or crew on board during incident
The Oberoi catering SUV hit the rear side of the aircraft’s right engine at around 9:30 pm. At the time, there were no passengers or crew members on board, the news outlet reported citing sources.
“An unmanned vehicle on the apron moved and came in contact with a parked IndiGo aircraft. The relevant authorities have been informed. The aircraft is grounded undergoing inspections and necessary maintenance before being cleared for operations. The aircraft was scheduled to operate flight 6E 6663 to Guwahati. An alternate aircraft has been arranged,” TOI quoted IndiGo.
‘Driverless third party vehicle hit the stationary plane’: IndiGo
However a report by ABP Ananda claims that there was no driver inside the vehicle when the accident happened. The car suddenly started moving, spun and hit the stationary aircraft.
“A driverless third party vehicle hit the stationary plane. We are fully cooperating with the authorities so that a thorough investigation is conducted,” the Bengali news outlet quoted the airline as saying.
IndiGo confirmed that the aircraft was scheduled to operate flight 6E 6663 from Kolkata to Guwahati. After the incident, alternative arrangements are being made to ensure passengers reach their destination. However, it is still unclear how the vehicle began moving on its own.
Similar incidents reported earlier
This is not the first such incident. In February, two aircraft – IndiGo’s 6E 791 and Air India’s AI 2732 – collided on the taxiway at Mumbai airport, though all passengers were safe.
In another incident last August, an IndiGo Airbus A321 skidded on the runway, reportedly due to bad weather. More recently, a Turkish Airlines flight with 236 passengers made an emergency landing at Kolkata airport. In a separate case, a flight from Kathmandu also made an emergency landing in Kolkata after its right engine caught fire mid-air.