Investigations are underway to determine both the cause of the radar failure and the circumstances surrounding the near-miss on the runway.
Published Aug 11, 2025 | 9:25 AM ⚊ Updated Aug 11, 2025 | 9:25 AM
The Air India flight made an emergency landing in Chennai.
Synopsis: Kerala MPs on board an Air India flight had a tense journey after the aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing in Chennai due to a radar system malfunction. While all passengers escaped unharmed, the episode has triggered concerns over air traffic coordination and the risk of runway incursions.
Kerala MPs on board Air India flight AI 2455 from Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi had a tense journey on the evening of Sunday, 10 August, after the aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing in Chennai due to a radar system malfunction.
The flight, which was scheduled to depart at 7.15 pm, took off about half an hour late. Around an hour into the journey, the crew detected a technical snag in the radar communication system, prompting the pilot to divert the aircraft to Chennai as a precaution.
Among the passengers were KC Venugopal, Kodikunnil Suresh, Adoor Prakash, and K Radhakrishnan. Speaking after the landing, Venugopal described it as a narrow escape from a major mishap and confirmed that he had alerted the Director General of Civil Aviation about the incident.
While all passengers escaped unharmed, the episode has triggered concerns over air traffic coordination and the risk of runway incursions.
“Air India flight AI 2455 from Trivandrum to Delhi – carrying myself, several MPs, and hundreds of passengers – came frighteningly close to tragedy today. What began as a delayed departure turned into a harrowing journey. Shortly after take-off, we were hit by unprecedented turbulence. About an hour later, the Captain announced a flight signal fault and diverted to Chennai,” Venugopal wrote in a post on X.
“For nearly two hours, we circled the airport awaiting clearance to land, until a heart-stopping moment during our first attempt – another aircraft was reportedly on the same runway. In that split second, the Captain’s quick decision to pull up saved every life on board. The flight landed safely on the second attempt,” he said.
“We were saved by skill and luck. Passenger safety cannot depend on luck. I urge @DGCAIndia and @MoCA_GoI to investigate this incident urgently, fix accountability, and ensure such lapses never happen again,” he added.
Meanwhile, Air India issued a clarification regarding the incident. The airline said the situation was a standard go-around when a landing is stopped. It said the plane did not take off again because another aircraft was blocking the runway, as some passengers believed.
According to Air India, the move was carried out on instructions from Chennai Air Traffic Services, and pilots are trained to handle such situations safely. However, some MPs on board said the crew had told them the landing was halted at the last moment due to another plane on the runway.
Investigations are underway to determine both the cause of the radar failure and the circumstances surrounding the near-miss on the runway.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil with inputs from Sreelakshmi Soman.)
