IndiGo Delhi-Srinagar flight: Pakistan rejected pilot's request to use its airspace to avoid turbulence, says report
The request to avoid turbulence was made when the aircraft was overflying Amritsar.
- May 23, 2025,
- Updated May 24, 2025 2:49 PM IST
An IndiGo Airlines flight from Delhi to Srinagar encountered severe turbulence on Wednesday when a sudden hailstorm struck near its destination. To avoid the turbulence, the pilot requested permission from Lahore Air Traffic Control to use Pakistani airspace but was denied, news agency PTI reported, citing sources.
The request to avoid turbulence was made when the aircraft was overflying Amritsar. Despite this, the flight continued on its original course, enduring the severe weather. Flight 6E2142 was carrying 227 passengers and suffered visible damage to the aircraft’s nose due to the mid-air turbulence, causing panic among those onboard.
The pilot declared an emergency as the flight neared Srinagar, successfully landing the aircraft at 6:30 pm. All passengers and crew were safely evacuated, though the aircraft was declared 'Aircraft on Ground' for urgent repairs.
In a statement, the airline said that its Delhi to Srinagar flight on May 21 navigated a sudden hailstorm and landed safely at the Srinagar International Airport.
"All customers were attended to upon landing and no injuries were reported. The aircraft is currently undergoing necessary inspection and maintenance in Srinagar and will resume operations once all clearances have been secured," the airline said.
Among the passengers were five Trinamool Congress leaders, including Derek O'Brien and Nadimul Haque, who expressed their gratitude to the pilot for the safe landing. "It was a near-death experience. I thought my life was over. People were screaming, praying and panicking," Sagarika Ghose said on Wednesday.
"Hats off to the pilot who brought us through that. When we landed, we saw the nose of the plane had blown up," she said, adding the delegation thanked the pilot after the landing.
The incident underscored the challenges faced by airlines when navigating restricted airspaces during adverse weather conditions, especially given the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan.
The sudden hailstorm also caused a significant weather shift in Delhi-NCR, leading to the suspension or diversion of several flights at Indira Gandhi International Airport.
Pakistan's refusal to grant airspace permission is consistent with its closure of airspace to Indian aircraft following the Pahalgam attack and subsequent hostilities between the two nations.
An IndiGo Airlines flight from Delhi to Srinagar encountered severe turbulence on Wednesday when a sudden hailstorm struck near its destination. To avoid the turbulence, the pilot requested permission from Lahore Air Traffic Control to use Pakistani airspace but was denied, news agency PTI reported, citing sources.
The request to avoid turbulence was made when the aircraft was overflying Amritsar. Despite this, the flight continued on its original course, enduring the severe weather. Flight 6E2142 was carrying 227 passengers and suffered visible damage to the aircraft’s nose due to the mid-air turbulence, causing panic among those onboard.
The pilot declared an emergency as the flight neared Srinagar, successfully landing the aircraft at 6:30 pm. All passengers and crew were safely evacuated, though the aircraft was declared 'Aircraft on Ground' for urgent repairs.
In a statement, the airline said that its Delhi to Srinagar flight on May 21 navigated a sudden hailstorm and landed safely at the Srinagar International Airport.
"All customers were attended to upon landing and no injuries were reported. The aircraft is currently undergoing necessary inspection and maintenance in Srinagar and will resume operations once all clearances have been secured," the airline said.
Among the passengers were five Trinamool Congress leaders, including Derek O'Brien and Nadimul Haque, who expressed their gratitude to the pilot for the safe landing. "It was a near-death experience. I thought my life was over. People were screaming, praying and panicking," Sagarika Ghose said on Wednesday.
"Hats off to the pilot who brought us through that. When we landed, we saw the nose of the plane had blown up," she said, adding the delegation thanked the pilot after the landing.
The incident underscored the challenges faced by airlines when navigating restricted airspaces during adverse weather conditions, especially given the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan.
The sudden hailstorm also caused a significant weather shift in Delhi-NCR, leading to the suspension or diversion of several flights at Indira Gandhi International Airport.
Pakistan's refusal to grant airspace permission is consistent with its closure of airspace to Indian aircraft following the Pahalgam attack and subsequent hostilities between the two nations.