Guwahati, 13th January: On January 13, 2024, an IndiGo flight departing from Mumbai to Guwahati underwent an unexpected turn of events as it was compelled to make an emergency landing at Dhaka airport in Bangladesh due to dense fog. The flight, originally destined for Guwahati, found itself over 400 kilometers away from its intended location, citing visibility issues that hindered a safe descent at the Guwahati airport.
Former Mumbai Youth Congress chief Suraj Singh Thakur, en route to join the Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra in Imphal, was among the passengers. Thakur shared his ordeal on social media, revealing that passengers were stranded inside the aircraft for over 9 hours due to the unplanned diversion, leading to a unique situation where they crossed an international border without presenting their passports.
Another passenger, sharing the experience on social media platform X, expressed the frustration of the 178 passengers who had been waiting for over four hours for another crew to fly them back to their intended destination. The airline responded, acknowledging the inconvenience caused by the diversion due to bad weather. However, they did not specify when the flight would depart from the Bangladesh capital.
The incident sheds light on the challenges faced by pilots and airlines when dealing with adverse weather conditions like dense fog, which can significantly disrupt flight schedules and impact safety. While emergency landings may be inconvenient, they are a critical response to potential hazards, executed to ensure the safety of all on board. As of the time of reporting, IndiGo had not issued a formal statement regarding the incident.
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