An Air Arabia flight from Sharjah with 106 passengers was grounded at the Coimbatore International Airport on Sunday after it was hit by a bird while landing.
Sources at the airport said that the bird hit occurred while the flight (G9 413) was landing here at 3.50 a.m.
A hole developed in the wing of A 320 aircraft.
The flight landed safely at the airport and a technical team of the airlines noticed the hole while inspecting the aircraft. Following the incident, the airline cancelled the return flight to Sharjah (G9 414) which was scheduled to depart at 4.30 a.m. Meanwhile, the airline made alternative arrangements for the passengers bound to Sharjah, many of them Haj pilgrims.
Officials at the airport said that Air Arabia sought the help of the technical team which rectified the hole. The flight left Coimbatore airport at 9 p.m.
Airport Director R. Mahalingam said that the bird hit occurred before the flight entered airport compound. “It must have occurred when the aircraft reached the Chinniyampalayam area. This is the first time the flight had to be grounded after a bird hit,” said Mr. Mahalingam.
Though there have been instances of bird hit at the airport in the past, damage to aircraft was not reported. Mr. Mahalingam said that the airport had adequate number of Zon guns that are operated at frequent intervals to scare birds.
Meanwhile, immigration officials at the airport detained a passenger, Kuyllath Hakeem of Malappuram, on arrival by the flight based on request from the Kerala police. It is learnt that Hakeem faces a non-bailable warrant in Malappuram.