IAF Aircraft Overshoots Main Runway In Mumbai, Many Flights Delayed

An Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft overshot the main runway while departing from the Mumbai airport on Tuesday night. The air force aircraft AN-32 was departing for Yelahanka Air Force Station near Bengaluru in Karnataka. However, no injuries have been reported.

An official of the Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) said today that due to this incident, aircraft movement was diverted to the secondary runway. 

"We confirm that an Air Force aircraft departing from the Mumbai airport had runway excursion at 11.39 pm on Tuesday," the official said.

According to Defence Ministry officials, the aircraft had to abandon take off in view of a technical issue and overshot the runway. "The aircraft and the crew are safe. A recovery team has arrived in Mumbai and the aircraft will be cleared shortly," the officials said.

However, according to an airport official, the runway has since opened and flight operations have resumed.

The runway 27 at Mumbai Airport was shut for operations for a while and AAI issued NOTAM. The secondary runway 32 was used at the airport since the incident.

Among the flights which were delayed by at least 30 minutes include AirAsia India I5 302 which was scheduled to depart at 8:05 am and left the aerodrome at 8:32 am. Air India AI 806 was also delayed by 29 minutes, GoAir G8 327 by 28 minutes and IndiGo 6E 6749 by 51 minutes respectively. 

The city-based Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, the country's second busiest airport after New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, has two crossing runways -- 0927 (the main runway) and 1432 (the secondary runway) which together handle a little over 1,000 arrivals and departures per day. 

(With Inputs From PTI, ANI and IANS)