Water tanker hits Qatar Airways aircraft at Kolkata airport; none hurt, but over 100 passengers stranded

Kolkata: More than 100 passengers were stranded at the Kolkata airport early on Thursday after a water tanker hit a Qatar Airways aircraft, which was preparing to take off for Doha. Around 2.30 am, when passengers were boarding the plane, a water tanker hit the belly of the Doha-bound flight, near the landing gear, an official of Airports Authority of India (AAI) said. [caption id=“attachment_2048269” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AP[/caption] The plane was immediately grounded for inspection and the passengers were safely de-boarded, he said. No one was hurt in the accident, the official noted. “All 103 passengers of the flight have been provided accommodation at a nearby hotel. They will be taking the 3 am flight to Doha on Friday,” he said. Initial inspection suggests that the water tanker had technical issues, the brake wasn’t functioning properly, the AAI official added. Meanwhile, a source in the DGCA said an inquiry has been initiated into the incident. “We will take corrective measures based on the inquiry report,” he said.