Varanasi, India — An IndiGo Airlines flight bound for Bengaluru was forced to make an emergency landing at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi on Sunday night after suffering a bird strike shortly after takeoff, aviation and airport officials said on Monday.
The aircraft, operating as flight 6E-437 from Gorakhpur to Bengaluru, was carrying 216 passengers and crew when the incident occurred. The bird hit damaged the front (nose) section of the aircraft, prompting the flight crew to divert to the nearest safe airport.
According to airport authorities, the pilot immediately alerted Varanasi Air Traffic Control and carried out a precautionary emergency landing. All passengers and crew were evacuated safely, with no injuries reported.
Varanasi Airport Director Puneet Gupta confirmed the damage to the aircraft and praised the crew’s swift response, which ensured passenger safety. IndiGo later arranged alternative flights for affected passengers, while others were accommodated on subsequent services.
The airline has initiated technical inspections of the aircraft before returning it to service. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is expected to review the incident as per standard procedures, though no official statement has been issued so far.
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