Hours after the Air India Express flight to Sharjah, carrying 144 passengers, landed safely following a technical problem (hydraulic failure) at Trichy airport, officials on Saturday (October 12) revealed that a separate flight had been provided for the stranded passengers, and many of whom have already departed for Sharjah.
According to the information released, of the 144 passengers aboard the flight yesterday, only 109 agreed to travel to Sharjah, while the remaining passengers chose not to travel for the time being.
It is important to note that Air India Express Flight IX 613 from Tiruchirappalli to Sharjah experienced a technical problem (hydraulic failure) hours after takeoff. The flight developed a technical snag mid-air and circled 21 times before making an emergency landing at the airport.
In airlines, hydraulic failure occurs when the system that uses pressurized fluid to control critical components, such as the landing gear, brakes, and flaps, stops functioning properly.
Officials stated that as soon as the pilot alerted authorities about the hydraulic failure, the airport prepared for a belly landing (when a plane lands without using its landing gear). However, the flight ultimately made a normal landing as the landing gear successfully deployed. As a precaution, ambulances and rescue teams were on standby at the airport to prevent any untoward accidents.
Notably, the aircraft staff aboard the flight did not disclose the exact nature of the issue to the 140 passengers on board. The captain only announced that there was a technical fault and that the plane would land shortly. It was only after the successful landing and calls from family members that the passengers learned the plane had suffered hydraulic failure.
Meanwhile, Air India Express, in a statement following the successful landing, asserted that the cause of the snag would be thoroughly investigated.
“We are aware of media reports related to an Air India Express flight operating on the Tiruchirappalli - Sharjah route. We would like to clarify that no emergency was declared by the operating crew. After reporting a technical snag, the aircraft circled multiple times in the designated area as a precaution, to reduce fuel and weight considering the runway length, before making a safe precautionary landing," the statement from Air India Express read.
"The cause of the snag will be duly investigated. In the interim, an alternative aircraft is being arranged for the onward journey of our guests," it added.
READ MORE | Air India Express flight to Sharjah lands in Trichy after facing hydraulic failure, passengers safe
