Air India Express passengers from Abu Dhabi to Kochi make narrow escape after plane veers off taxiway

Passengers aboard an Air India Express flight had a narrow escape on Tuesday morning after the plane at the Kochi airport skidded off the taxiway. The Boeing aircraft was flying from Abu Dhabi to Kochi with 102 passengers aboard. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported.

All passengers exited the plane normally despite the incident and there was no cause for any major concern. The plane seemingly faced the problem when landing due to heavy rains. The incident took place very late in the night.

"During heavy rains last night at about 2:40 am, while entering the bay from the taxiway at Kochi, our aircraft, a Boeing 737-800 skidded off the taxiway," the Air India Express spokesperson spokesperson said in a statement.

After skidding off the wheels of the plane in a storm water drain on the side of the taxiway opposite the international airport terminal, the spokesperson said. Also, the nose-wheel of the aircraft collapsed when it went off the taxiway, an airline said.

Air India Express is the international budget arm of the government-owned Air India.

In July also, an Air India Express passenger aircraft had gone off the runway at Mangalore airport on landing from Dubai, though all passengers and crew members had escaped unhurt.

In May 2010, 152 people were killed when the pilot of the Air India Express flight from Dubai overshot the runway while landing at Mangalore airport and the plane caught fire after it fell over a cliff.

(With inputs from PTI)