Air India Plane Skids on Landing in Mumbai, Damaging Runway

• Flight AI2744 arrived in Mumbai from Kochi, Kerala.
• The airport reported “minor damage to the primary runway”.
• Reports indicated that three tires on the aircraft burst upon landing.

NEW DELHI: An Air India Airbus A320 flight went off the runway while landing at Mumbai International Airport during heavy rainfall on Monday, resulting in a temporary closure of the runway and some damage to one of the plane’s engines.

All passengers and crew were safely evacuated, according to Air India, though they did not specify if there were any injuries. The flight, AI2744, had flown from Kochi in southern Kerala to Mumbai.

The airport stated that there were “minor damages reported to the airport’s primary runway” following what they described as a “runway excursion,” and a secondary runway was activated to maintain airport operations.

The aircraft has been grounded for inspection, as noted by Air India.

A report from the Times of India cited sources claiming that three tires burst during landing. Footage from NDTV and India Today revealed visible damage to the outer casing of the engine, including some cracks.

Air India is under heightened scrutiny after a tragic incident last month involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner that crashed in Ahmedabad, claiming the lives of 260 individuals.

Earlier this month, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency announced plans to investigate its budget airline, Air India Express, following reports from Reuters that the airline did not adhere to a directive requiring timely replacement of engine components on an Airbus A320 and had allegedly falsified records to indicate compliance.