The Tiruchirappalli airport in Tamil Nadu is prepared for an emergency landing following a hydraulic failure reported by an Air India Express flight, AXB 613, shortly after takeoff. The flight, which is en route to Sharjah, has 144 passengers on board.
According to reports, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu has instructed all officials to remain alert, as the flight is expected to attempt a landing around 8:30 PM. Airport authorities reported that the aircraft is currently circling over Tiruchirappalli to burn off fuel, having been in the same area for nearly two hours, according to flight tracking website FlightRadar.
The issue was identified shortly after takeoff, leading the plane to return to the airport. However, due to safety concerns about landing with a full fuel load, the pilots are burning off fuel by flying in circles. Airport Director Gopalakrishnan confirmed that over 20 ambulances and fire tenders have been deployed as a precautionary measure to ensure passenger safety and prevent any serious incident during landing.
(With inputs from agencies)