A major accident was averted at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport early Thursday morning after a Doha- bound Qatar Airways plane was hit by a water tanker near the landing gear while boarding passengers before take off for Doha.
All the passengers are reported to be safe. According to airport officials, there were 103 passengers on the flight when the incident happened.
The plane was immediately grounded for inspection and the passengers were safely de-boarded, an official of Airports Authority of India (AAI) said.
“All 103 passengers of the flight have been provided accommodation at a nearby hotel. They will be taking the 3 am flight to Doha tomorrow (Friday),” he said.
The aircraft’s belly was damaged in the collision that reportedly occurred at 2:30 am. It has been taken away for repairs, an airport official was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Initial inspection suggests that the water tanker had technical issues, the brake wasn’t functioning properly, the AAI official said.
Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered an enquiry into the incident. “We will take corrective measures based on the inquiry report,” a source in the DGCA said.
(With agency inputs)