Jaipur-Pune IndiGo flight lands in Mumbai after 'full emergency'; Airbus A320 Neo plane's engine developed vibrations mid-air

A full emergency was declared on a Jaipur-bound IndiGo flight on Thursday after which is was diverted to Mumbai. A glitch developed in one of the engines of the aircraft, an Airbus A320 Neo, after it departed from the Pune International Airport. The number of passengers on board the flight could not immediately be known.

"The IndiGo flight which took off for Jaipur from Pune on Thursday morning was diverted to Mumbai after the pilot reported high engine vibrations in the aircraft mid-air. The flight made an emergency landing early morning," PTI quoted sources as saying.

IndiGo, in a statement, confirmed the diversion of its Jaipur flight to Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. "An IndiGo flight 6E-6129 (A320) operating from Pune to Jaipur was diverted to Mumbai this morning. During the flight, the pilot observed an engine vibration message and followed the laid standard operating procedures," the statement said.

Representational image. Reuters

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The aircraft is currently under inspection at Mumbai, and all passengers were accommodated on another aircraft which further operated to Jaipur, the spokesperson was quoted as saying by PTI.

The IndiGo aircraft reportedly began experiencing high vibrations at a level of 30,600 feet, The Economic Times reported, adding that the pilots then brought the engine to idle and made a successful emergency landing in Mumbai after a 'full emergency' was declared. The report also said that twin-engine planes are able to make a safe landing even on one engine.

What is a 'full emergency'?

A 'full emergency' is defined when "an aircraft is approaching an aerodrome in such a manner that there is a danger of an accident occurring", Aviation Knowledge reported.

When such an emergency is declared, all emergency services in the airport and the immediate area around the airport are alerted and kept on stand-by "at a common location on the airfield". These services include police, fire services, and ambulances and other medical facilities.

"Local hospitals will be alerted to prepare for casualties and the police will control traffic and roads in such a way as a clear path from the aerodrome to the hospital and other emergency services routes are clear enough to uninhibited access," the report said.

The flight also gets priority to land once the emergency is declared.

This is not the first time that an IndiGo flight of an Airbus A320 Neo aircraft has made an emergency landing due to a glitch in the engine. India Today reported that the aircraft uses an engine that is "known to develop snags or stop working mid-air". In December 2019, one plane had to return to the Bagdogra airport in West Bengal's Siliguri after experiencing similar problems.

The engine used by the aircraft is made by US-based firm Pratt & Whitney.

With inputs from agencies