According to sources, the smoke alarm in the cargo area was activated shortly after the aircraft took off from Varanasi Airport. The pilot immediately contacted Lucknow Airport and informed the Air Traffic Control (ATC).
After receiving permission from ATC, the aircraft was landed at Lucknow Airport at 8:52 am. The response team took charge as soon as the aircraft touched down. Fire brigade personnel and technical experts also reached the spot, and the aircraft was inspected.
The Air India Express flight, operating as IX 1253, had departed from Varanasi Airport at 8 am on Thursday. Shortly after take-off, the smoke detection alarm in the cargo compartment began sounding. Following the alert, the pilot made the emergency landing at Lucknow Airport at 8:52 am.
At 9:02 am, all 155 passengers and crew members were deboarded from the aircraft. After the inspection, the aircraft was parked at an airport stand. The preliminary inspection found no indication of smoke inside the aircraft. Authorities subsequently began examining how the alarm had been triggered.
Air India has parked the aircraft in the parking area of Lucknow Airport. An expert team will conduct a detailed inspection of the entire aircraft. The passengers will now be sent to Delhi on another aircraft.
For the time being, all passengers have been accommodated at a hotel near the airport. They will be sent to Delhi once arrangements for another aircraft are completed.
The incident comes amid several aircraft-related incidents reported in Uttar Pradesh over the past one-and-a-half years.
On August 19, 2026, the rear portion, or tail, of an IndiGo aircraft struck the ground while landing at Gorakhpur Airport. The pilot subsequently took the aircraft back into the air. The aircraft was landed again after clearance was received from ATC.
On January 21, 2026, a small Indian Air Force aircraft had to be landed in a pond in Prayagraj following a technical problem. Both pilots on board safely exited the aircraft using parachutes.
On November 12, 2025, an Air India flight arriving from Mumbai made an emergency landing at Varanasi after receiving a bomb threat. All passengers were safe.
On May 25, 2025, an IndiGo flight arriving from Delhi had to make an emergency landing at Varanasi for security reasons. All passengers were safe.
On September 14, 2025, an IndiGo flight bound for Delhi returned to Lucknow Airport and landed after developing a technical problem shortly after take-off. There were 151 passengers on board, and all were safe.
On May 6, 2025, an IndiGo flight travelling from Mumbai to Gorakhpur developed a technical problem after take-off. The aircraft had to make an emergency landing at Mumbai Airport. All 190 passengers on board were safe and were later sent to Gorakhpur on another flight.
In another incident at Varanasi Airport, a passenger accidentally fired a round while his weapon was being inspected. A woman and another employee were injured in the incident and were taken to New Laxmi Trauma Centre for treatment.
The passenger, Kamlesh Rai, was travelling to Mumbai with his wife on Air India Express flight IX-1810. He had already declared the weapon before taking it on the aircraft. One round was fired while the weapon was being inspected.
Following information from the airport authority, police reached the airport and recovered a pistol and 21 cartridges from Kamlesh Rai.
About The Author
.jpg)
.jpg)
Comment List