Air India flight from San Francisco to Mumbai delayed after engine problem
An Air India flight from San Francisco to Mumbai was forced to deplane passengers early Tuesday during a scheduled stop in Kolkata after a technical issue was discovered in one of the aircraft's engines, according to the Press Trust of India.
Flight AI180, a Boeing 777-200LR, landed in Kolkata on time at 12:45 a.m. local time and was slated to depart for Mumbai at 2 a.m., flight records show.
However, a problem with the aircraft's left engine delayed the onward journey.
At approximately 5:20 a.m., the captain informed passengers that they would need to deplane out of an abundance of caution. 'The decision was being made in the interest of flight safety,' the captain told those on board, according to the PTI report.
Video footage shared by the outlet on social media showed the plane idle on the tarmac as ground staff inspected the affected engine. Passengers from the long-haul flight from San Francisco disembarked and waited in the terminal while maintenance crews assessed the situation.
The incident comes during a turbulent stretch for India's national carrier.
In response, aviation authorities have ordered comprehensive inspections of Air India's fleet.
No injuries were reported in Tuesday's incident, PTI said. Affected passengers were expected to be rebooked on alternate flights to Mumbai.
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