Air India’s Trichy to Sharjah flight (Air India Express IX613) made a safe landing at the Trichy airport after the plane experienced technical difficulties.

The aircraft that took off from the Trichy airport around 5.30 pm was forced to circle above Trichy Airport for two hours, with 141 passengers on board, in an attempt to reduce risk of fuel combustion during landing. 

A full emergency was declared at the Trichy airport. In aviation, such an emergency is declared when an aircraft is approaching an aerodrome dangerously. Fifteen  ambulances and almost a dozen fire engines were kept on standby at the airport.

Earlier it was believed that the flight would have to attempt a belly landing. This is a type of emergency landing where an aircraft lands on its belly or  underside. This is a last resort option for pilots during times of tech or mechanical failure in landing gear.

Reports say that for 1 and a half hours no one on the flight was aware that they were circling within Tamil Nadu. They knew only in the last 15-30 minutes, says Kannan, a person on board, to Puthiya Thalaimurai.