by
Lucknow: A Saudi Airlines flight (SV 3112) narrowly escaped a major disaster when a fire broke out in one of its wheels during landing at Lucknow’s Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport. The incident occurred on Sunday (June 16) morning, with approximately 250 Haj pilgrims onboard. The airport authorities and India Today confirmed the incident.
The flight departed from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, at 10:45 PM on Saturday (June 15) and landed in Lucknow at 6:30 AM on Sunday. Immediately after landing, smoke and sparks were observed emanating from one of the wheels on the left side of the aircraft. The pilot promptly contacted the control tower and halted the aircraft. The plane was then moved to the taxiway, and all passengers and cabin crew were safely evacuated.
The airport’s emergency response team arrived swiftly at the scene and managed to extinguish the fire within approximately 20 minutes using foam and water. Subsequent investigations revealed that the fire was caused by a sudden leak in the hydraulic system, which caused the wheel assembly to overheat. Authorities noted that had this issue occurred during takeoff, it could have led to a catastrophic accident. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.
This incident has raised fresh concerns about aviation safety in India. Notably, just a few days ago, on June 12, an Air India flight bound for London crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, resulting in the tragic loss of 241 out of 242 passengers and 29 people on the ground. The series of such incidents has sparked renewed questions about the safety protocols in India’s aviation sector.
AI/MR
