IndiGo flight declares ‘mayday’ over fuel shortage, lands safely in Bengaluru; pilots derostered

Bengaluru: An IndiGo flight operating between Guwahati and Chennai with 168 passengers on board was forced to make an emergency landing in Bengaluru after the pilots declared a 'mayday' due to "insufficient fuel", media reports said.
The emergency landing took place on Thursday, and both pilots involved have been removed from duty, NDTV reported, citing sources.
The incident follows closely on the heels of a fatal crash involving an Air India Dreamliner that went down in Ahmedabad just after take-off on June 12.
The Boeing 787-8 aircraft had issued a mayday call shortly before it crashed, erupting into flames as it collided with residential buildings.
In the IndiGo incident, the aircraft reportedly could not land at Chennai airport due to congestion and was forced to divert.
The A321 aircraft, operating as flight 6E-6764, departed Guwahati at 4:40 pm and attempted to land in Chennai around 7:45 pm.
However, the pilot had to perform a "go-around" after being unable to secure landing clearance.
“After getting the distress call, the ATC (Air Traffic Control) alerted the on-ground staff members who swung into action. Medical and fire services personnel were in place. The aircraft landed safely at 8:20 pm,” the Times of India quoted sources at Kempegowda International Airport as saying.
In a separate incident on Friday, an IndiGo flight bound for Madurai experienced a technical snag mid-air and requested permission to return to Chennai.
The aircraft, carrying around 68 passengers, landed safely and all passengers were deplaned following proper safety procedures, media reports added.