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New Delhi: In another mid-air scare, an emergency diversion saw a Fly91 flight from Hyderabad to Hubballi rerouted to Bengaluru following a technical failure. The aircraft remained in the air for approximately four hours before pilots were able to touch down safely at the alternate airport, as per reports.

The incident took place on Sunday afternoon when the Fly91 Airlines flight IC3401 (ATR turboprop AT7) took off from Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at around 3 pm on Sunday and was scheduled to land at Hubballi airport at 4:30 pm. However, as it neared Hubballi, the aircraft reportedly encountered a technical issue and could not land.

Air-borne for 4-hours

For nearly four hours, the plane circled over areas such as Mundgod, Davanagere, and Shivamogga while the crew worked to resolve the issue and prepare for a safe touchdown. Following several attempts to land, the flight was ultimately rerouted to Bengaluru, landing safely at Kempegowda International Airport at approximately 7:30 PM.

The experience left those on board deeply distressed throughout the crisis. Meanwhile, their families voiced frustration with the airline, claiming they were kept in the dark and provided with insufficient information as the situation unfolded.

Passengers share ordeal

Reflecting on the harrowing experience, passenger Jai Kumar, in conversation with Republic shared his account of the four-hour ordeal. 

"It was a truly terrible experience," he stated. "I have traveled many times, but this is the first time I've been left speechless. We were in such a state of panic that it’s hard to recover. It’s not that we are complaining about the flight itself; our pilot handled the situation very well. He really did."

Despite the terror in the air, Kumar noted the relief felt upon their eventual arrival. "When we finally landed in Bengaluru, we were so happy. We finally felt safe. We had panicked for so long on that flight. We were supposed to land at 4:10 PM, but the panic lasted until 6:30 PM. It was indescribable."

The prolonged crisis took a physical and emotional toll on those on board. "After landing, my wife's blood pressure was low. There were many children on board, and we were all very frightened. We tried our best to stay calm for them, speaking politely and reassuring them not to worry and that we would get them down safely," Kumar concluded.