Thunderstorm damages four parked aircraft in Ahmedabad

AHMEDABAD: Heavy rain and high-velocity winds in Ahmedabad late on Wednesday caused chaos at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) airport. Four aircraft parked at the airport suffered varying degrees of damage due to the strong winds.
The storm hit at around 9pm. Three aircraft of IndiGo, one of GoAir and one of SpiceJet drifted from their parked positions due to the wind.
Sources said the wing of the GoAir aircraft got bent. An Adani Airports spokesperson said, “The winds were so gusty that it led to aircraft drifting and moving out of their parking positions. On Wednesday (June 16, 2021) around 9pm, weather conditions at Ahmedabad airport suddenly deteriorated, resulting in strong winds for one to two minutes. This strong wind led to parked aircraft drifting from their positions and colliding with ground equipment (step ladders) near the aircraft. Some four aircraft sustained minor damage to their wings.”
All the aircraft were repositioned to standard parking bays and the area was cleared of debris. There was no injury to any personnel, the airport spokesperson said. A preliminary report regarding this has been sent to the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA).
Five aircraft including Airbus A320s operated by GoAir and Indigo along with a Boeing 737 of SpiceJet moved from their positions due to the strong wind, sources said.
SVPI airport authorities had not only issued an advance weather warning to the airlines but designated officials had also inspected parked aircraft, including those affected before the the incident.
Spokespersons of GoAir refused to comment on the matter. Sources said the incident is being analysed and investigated.
“Three IndiGo aircraft suffered minor/non-structural damage which will require replacement of certain parts. The aircraft will be in operation after the necessary repairs,” said an IndiGo spokesperson.
A SpiceJet spokesperson said, “On June 16, a SpiceJet Boeing 737 aircraft was parked at bay No. 16R at Ahmedabad airport. Due to the thunderstorm last evening and strong winds, the aircraft moved from its original position. The aircraft was towed by the engineering team to align it properly at the assigned stand. No structural damage was caused due to the movement.”
Sources said that the wind speed as forecast by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) was around 25 knts however, the actual gust speed was much higher when the incident took place.