Air India Express Flight Returns to Kannur After Technical Snag, 180 Passengers Safe
An Air India Express flight from Kannur to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia returned to its origin airport on Tuesday after developing a suspected technical issue approximately 30 minutes into the journey. The aircraft, which had taken off at 7:03 a.m., was carrying 180 passengers. Following standard safety protocols, the pilots decided to return to Kannur International Airport instead of continuing the international flight.
Since the aircraft was carrying a heavy fuel load for the long-haul journey, the crew had to reduce fuel weight before landing. The aircraft circled the region multiple times to safely dump fuel, completing around 18 rounds in the air before making its final approach. It landed safely at 9 a.m., bringing relief to passengers and airport authorities monitoring the situation.
According to preliminary reports, the aircraft had recently experienced an issue with its Auxiliary Power Unit (APU), which was attended to before clearance for operations. Authorities are now conducting detailed examinations to determine if the earlier APU issue was connected to the technical problem during flight. Further checks are expected before the aircraft is cleared for service.
