Jeep on IGI runway, KLM jet with 200 on board forced to abort landing

Around 200 passengers on board a KLM flight from Amsterdam had a lucky escape early Sunday morning when their plane was forced to abort landing at Delhi’s IGI airport after a jeep was spotted on the runway.

Around 200 passengers on board a KLM flight from Amsterdam had a lucky escape early Sunday morning when their plane was forced to abort landing at Delhi’s IGI airport after a jeep was spotted on the runway.

Around-200-passengers-on-board-a-KLM-flight-from-Amsterdam-had-a-lucky-escape-early-Sunday-morning-when-their-plane-was-forced-to-abort-landing-at-Delhi-s-IGI-airport-after-a-jeep-was-spotted-on-the-runway-AFP-Marcel-Antonisse-File-photo

The flight KLM 871 was approaching runway 28/10 of the Indira Gandhi International airport when Air Traffic Control asked the pilot to go around after spotting a ‘follow me’ jeep belonging to the airport operator around 1am Sunday. Sources said the vehicle couldn’t be contacted over the radio.

The jeep was carrying out regular inspections of the runway to check if all lights were functioning properly, an exercise performed extensively during the fog season.

Since dense fog engulfs the airport in the early hours of the morning, normal flight operations hinge on all lighting and other systems working perfectly.

The vehicle had due clearance from the ATC for routine inspections but radio contact between the two snapped temporarily, sources said.

The jeep was led away from the runway after contact was established a few minutes later and the flight landed safely.