New Delhi, 21 May : In a harrowing mid-air ordeal, an IndiGo flight from Delhi to Srinagar carrying 227 passengers and crew members was rocked by severe turbulence on Wednesday evening, resulting in visible damage to the aircraft’s nose and a moment of high anxiety for everyone on board.
The flight, operating as 6E 2142, encountered intense weather conditions — including a sudden hailstorm — as it neared Srinagar. The pilot, acting swiftly, declared an emergency to the Srinagar Air Traffic Control (ATC), ensuring priority landing protocols were activated.
Terrified passengers described the experience as nightmarish, with videos now circulating widely on social media showing individuals screaming, weeping, and clutching each other in fear. The cabin reportedly shook violently, and several overhead compartments clattered open under the force of the turbulence.
Despite the chaos in the sky, the aircraft made a safe landing at Srinagar airport around 6:30 PM. Thankfully, no injuries were officially reported, and passengers were safely evacuated.
Preliminary inspections indicate that the aircraft’s nose cone sustained damage, likely caused by hail impact during the storm. The aircraft has since been declared “Aircraft on Ground” (AOG), meaning it will remain grounded for mandatory inspections and maintenance before it can return to service.
“The crew followed all safety protocols, and the well-being of passengers was managed efficiently upon landing,” said an official from the Airport Authority of India (AAI). IndiGo also confirmed that the airline’s engineering team will carry out thorough checks before the aircraft is cleared to fly again.
Passengers praised the calm and professionalism of the flight crew. “We narrowly escaped a major mishap,” posted a passenger on X (formerly Twitter), thanking the pilot and cabin crew for their response during the crisis.
IndiGo has assured that all necessary assistance was provided to travelers after landing and that safety remains their top priority.
