Bhubaneswar: Over 170 passengers and crew had a narrow escape as a Vistara flight to New Delhi made an emergency landing at the Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) in Bhubaneswar soon after it took off from there on Wednesday.
As per preliminary information, the windshield of the Vistara flight reportedly developed crack following the hailstorm that lashed several parts of Odisha, including the capital city, this afternoon.
Sources said the aircraft was hit by the hailstorm barely 10 minutes after it took off from the BPIA. The windshield and some other structures of the aircraft suffered damage due to the hailstorm.
The Vistara flight UK-788 had to make an emergency landing at the airport after being affected by the hailstorm.
There were 169 passengers onboard when the flight took off safely. After the aircraft made emergency landing, all the passengers got down safely. A windshield and some other structures have been damaged, BPIA Director Prasanna Pradhan said.
The passengers are waiting at the airport as another flight is being arranged for their journey, while necessary steps have been initiated to repair the affected flight, he said.
