Plane’s tyres burst on landing, passengers safe

More than 100 passengers on board an Air India flight had a close shave with disaster after the aircraft suffered a tyre burst while landing at the Delhi airport on Tuesday.

More than 100 passengers on board an Air India flight had a close shave with disaster after the aircraft suffered a tyre burst while landing at the Delhi airport on Tuesday.

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Two rear tyres of the Air India aircraft were found deflated when it landed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. The 100 passengers and six crewmembers were safe, the airline said.

The incident happened at 10.58 am on Tuesday after the Mumbai-Bhopal-Delhi flight (IC 133) landed at runway 29 of the airport and was approaching the parking bay 12.

“The aircraft was taxiing towards the parking bay when engineers at the ground noticed two deflated tyres of the left landing gear and sparks emanating due to friction,” an airline official said.

The pilot of the Airbus A320 aircraft immediately informed ground control and applied brakes.

Passengers were asked to de-board on the taxiway itself. The incident raised an alarm and fire tenders were called. Sources said smoke was also emanating from the tyres.

“It is not an uncommon occurrence when day temperatures are high,” it said.