SpiceJet indefinitely suspends flights from Surat

SURAT: Following the grounding of an aircraft due to the stray cattle incident at Surat airport on Thursday evening, the SpiceJet management has indefinitely suspended its flights from Surat.

"Flights from Surat has been indefinitely suspended after one of our aircraft hit a large stray animal on take-off roll this evening," said Spice Jet spokesperson from Bangalore.

More than 170 passengers in the Delhi-bound Spice Jet aircraft had a miraculous escape when the craft was hit by a stray buffalo, when it was taking off from the Surat airport at around 7:25 pm. Airport sources said all the passengers are safe.

He added, "An alternate aircraft was arranged to ferry the passengers to Delhi"

There was utter confusion between the airport authorities and the SpiceJet pilot as to which stray animal hit. However, sources at the Airport said that it was a stray buffalo and that the impact was very heavy.

The 189-seater Boeing aircraft has sustained a considerable damage in its body and that it is parked safely in the parking apron.

Official sources said the Dehli-Surat-Delhi flight of SpiceJet arrived at about 6:30 pm on Thursday. The passengers from Delhi to Surat alighted at the airport and the passengers bound to Delhi boarded the flight. It took about an hour for the flight to get on the runway for takeoff to Delhi.

However, within few hundred meters during the take off, the craft was hit by a stray animal on the runway. The pilots immediately stopped the craft midway and drove it in the parking area to check the damage.

Dr SD Sharma, airport director told TOI, "The passengers had a miraculous escape. There was no breakdown of the engine or other technical fault. The aircraft hit with a stray animal during takeoff. All the passengers are out of the craft safely and the investigations are on to check the damage to the craft. Possibly, the craft will have to undergo a thorough investigation to check the damage. Meanwhile, the passengers have been taken into the arrival area of the airport"

"The incident has given a very bad impression about the state of affairs at Surat airport. Now, the other airline companies would think twice before starting operations," said a member of We Want Working Airport At Surat (WWWAS). 

- Source:  http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com