Mid-Air Panic: IndiGo Flight with 227 Passengers Hits Turbulence, Nose Damaged, Emergency Declared
New Dehi, 22 May 2025: Panic moment for IndiGo flight 6E 2142 passengers on Wednesday evening when the aircraft encountered severe turbulence due to a sudden hailstorm while en route from Delhi to Srinagar. The aircraft, carrying 227 passengers and crew members, was forced to declare an emergency mid-flight. But fortunately, the flight landed safely at Srinagar Airport around 6:30 PM.
An official from the Airport Authority of India confirmed the sequence of events, stating, “IndiGo flight 6E2142 enroute Delhi to Srinagar experienced bad weather (hail storm), emergency reported by Pilot to ATC SXR (Srinagar).”
All passengers and crew members were reported safe. However, the aircraft faced visible damage, particularly to its nose, and was grounded for technical inspection. “All Aircrew and 227 passengers are safe and flight is declared AOG by airline,” the official added. ‘AOG’ or ‘Aircraft on Ground’ status means the aircraft is not fit to fly and requires maintenance.
Eyewitness passengers from inside the plane described a terrifying experience. Videos shared on social media showed visibly panicked passengers reciting prayers as the aircraft shakes violently.
Owais Maqbool Hakeem, a passenger onboard, posted on X (formerly Twitter), “I was in the plane and heading back home from Srinagar… It was a near-death experience… the nose of the plane is damaged.” In a follow-up post, he added, “The Nose and Right side of the plane was damaged… And we were not allowed to see much as airforce police was there.”
While no official confirmation was provided on the extent of the physical damage, photos and videos circulating online appear to support claims of damage to the aircraft’s outerbody.
IndiGo later issued an official statement, confirming the incident and assuring that standard safety procedures were followed:
“Flight 6E 2142 operating from Delhi to Srinagar encountered sudden hailstorm en route. The flight and cabin crew followed established protocol and the aircraft landed safely in Srinagar.”
The airline further stated, “The airport team attended to the customers after the arrival of the aircraft, prioritising their wellbeing and comfort. The aircraft will be released post-necessary inspection and maintenance.”
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is expected to look into the incident, as per standard protocol for such emergencies.
