Air India Flight Bound for Delhi Collides With Tug Tractor at Pune Airport; 180 Passengers Onboard

An Air India flight with 180 passengers bound for Delhi collided with a tug tractor while taxiing towards the runway at Pune Airport on Thursday, May 16. No passengers and crew onboard were injured.

"There was a minor incident at Pune Airport yesterday involving an Air India aircraft taxiing for departure to Delhi and a ground handling tug," the official said. "There was no injury to any passenger or crew onboard. The aircraft sustained minor damage to its nose and a tyre near the landing gear."

An Air India flight bound for Delhi experienced a collision with a tug tractor while taxiing towards the runway at Pune Airport yesterday, 16th May. The incident occurred when around 180 passengers were on-board.

“The aircraft, carrying around 180 passengers, suffered damage to… pic.twitter.com/MkxCRDlI2n

— ANI (@ANI) May 17, 2024

“The aircraft, carrying around 180 passengers, suffered damage to its nose and a tyre near the landing gear. Despite the collision, all passengers and crew on board are reported to be safe,” an airport official told ANI.

The incident occurred around as the aircraft was preparing for takeoff. According to an airport official who spoke to ANI, the collision resulted in damage to the plane's nose and a tire near the landing gear.

"There was an incident related to one of our aircraft, which was to operate from Pune to Delhi, at the time of its pushback. The aircraft was held back for checks, all passengers were offloaded safely, and the flight was cancelled. Passengers were eventually refunded their full fares and offered complimentary rescheduling. Those with onward international connections were flown to Delhi by other carriers. An investigation into the incident has already been initiated," said an Air India spokesperson in a statement issued on Friday.

Air India and airport authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident.

Further details are awaited