Emergency Evacuation at Bengaluru Airport After Smoke Seen on IndiGo Flight
Emergency Evacuation at Bengaluru Airport After Smoke Seen on IndiGo Flight
Passengers on an IndiGo flight to Chennai were forced to evacuate via slides at Bengaluru airport after smoke was detected. Read more about the safety scare and the DGCA probe.
A routine flight from Bengaluru to Chennai turned into a dramatic scene on Tuesday evening when smoke was detected inside an IndiGo aircraft while it was taxiing for departure. Flight 6E 6017 was scheduled to take off at 6:14 p.m. from Kempegowda International Airport, but as the plane moved toward the runway, the crew spotted smoke, prompting an immediate and urgent response.
Following safety protocols, the crew initiated an emergency evacuation using the aircraft’s inflatable slides. Dozens of passengers were seen sliding down to the tarmac as ground crews and airport authorities rushed to assist. Fortunately, the airline confirmed that all passengers and crew members are safe and were quickly moved back to the terminal building for further care and refreshments.
While the incident caused some panic among those on board, the airline’s team worked to ease the situation by arranging an alternate aircraft to complete the journey to Chennai. However, the evacuation did have a ripple effect on airport operations. The aircraft blocked a key taxiway for a period, leading to delays for about six other flights, which were held up for around 30 to 40 minutes. Combined with some local bad weather, it was a busy and stressful evening for travelers at the airport.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has already launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the smoke. This incident is particularly concerning as it marks the second emergency evacuation for this airline within the same month. Aviation authorities are expected to look closely at maintenance records and the specific technical failure that led to this scare.
For now, operations at Kempegowda International Airport have returned to normal. Airport officials noted that the situation was brought under control quickly and all necessary support was provided to the airline and its passengers during the ordeal.
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