Congress leader and Member of Parliament, KC Venugopal, travelling from Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi on an Air India flight said that the passengers on board were saved by sheer luck and skill of the pilots after the flight was diverted to Chennai following a reported technical glitch.
“We were saved by skill and luck. Passenger safety cannot depend on luck,” tweeted Venugopal.
Terming it as an harrowing journey the Congress MP said that the aircraft came close to a tragedy on Sunday.
“What began as a delayed departure turned into a harrowing journey. Shortly after take-off, we were hit by unprecedented turbulence. About an hour later, the Captain announced a flight signal fault and diverted to Chennai,” he tweeted.
“For nearly two hours, we circled the airport awaiting clearance to land, until a heart-stopping moment during our first attempt – another aircraft was reportedly on the same runway. In that split second, the Captain’s quick decision to pull up saved every life on board. The flight landed safely on the second attempt,” he added in his tweet.
The flight, AI 2455, had five Members of Parliament onboard — KC Venugopal, Kodikkunil Suresh, Adoor Prakash, K. Radhakrishnan, and Robert Bruce.
Meanwhile, Air India said that a technical glitch was suspected in the aircraft and it was diverted to Chennai.
“The crew of AI 2455 operating from Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi on 10 August made a precautionary diversion to Chennai due to a suspected technical issue and prevailing weather conditions. The flight landed safely in Chennai, where the aircraft will undergo the required inspections,” the spokesperson said.
Air India has also apologised for the inconvenience caused to passengers and said its team in Chennai is providing assistance and arranging alternative travel.
“We regret the inconvenience to our passengers. Our colleagues on the ground in Chennai are extending all possible support and making alternative arrangements to ensure passengers reach their destinations at the earliest,” the airline said.
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