Blitz Bureau
Kolkata, June 17 : An Air India flight operating from San Francisco to Mumbai, with a scheduled stopover in Kolkata, was halted at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport early Tuesday morning after a technical fault was detected in one of its engines.
Flight AI-180 touched down in Kolkata around 12:45 a.m. and was scheduled to depart for Mumbai at 2 a.m., with an expected arrival in Mumbai at 4:50 a.m. However, the onward journey was delayed due to issues identified in one of the aircraft’s engines.
After several hours of technical inspection on the ground, the captain instructed passengers to disembark at approximately 5:20 a.m., citing safety concerns as the reason for the decision. Passengers were escorted off the aircraft without incident, and all are reported to be safe.
Following the evacuation, the aircraft was moved to the airport tarmac for further assessment. Ground and technical staff immediately began working to identify and resolve the engine malfunction.
As of the latest update, the aircraft remains at Kolkata Airport undergoing technical evaluation. Air India is reportedly arranging an alternative flight for the stranded passengers.
This incident adds to a series of recent safety concerns involving the airline. On June 12, an Air India flight en route from Ahmedabad to London’s Gatwick Airport crashed shortly after takeoff, colliding with a doctors’ hostel and resulting in multiple fatalities. Just days later, on June 15, an Air India Express flight (IX 1511) bound for Kolkata was grounded at Hindon Airport in Uttar Pradesh after a fault was detected during takeoff preparations. That aircraft was held on the runway for nearly an hour before finally departing.
Tuesday’s disruption underscores ongoing challenges within the airline’s operations and maintenance protocols, prompting fresh scrutiny of safety standards.