IndiGo contacted Lahore, it refused: Here's what went down during turbulence
The IndiGo flight en route to Srinagar that encountered severe turbulence initially requested the northern air traffic control (ATC), which is under the Indian Air Force (IAF), to deviate towards Pakistan before contacting the Lahore ATC to avoid the storm. Both requests were denied, forcing the pilot to navigate the hailstorm and land the aircraft (6E-2142) in Srinagar, according to a Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) statement.advertisementThe New Delhi-Srinagar flight, carrying more than 220 people, including TMC MPs, landed safely at 6.30 pm on May 21, with the nose (radome) of the aircraft severely damaged.Dramatic visuals that have emerged on social media show the A321 Neo aircraft shaking violently amid the storm, which ravaged Delhi-NCR, leaving over six dead and several trees uprooted. Videos of passengers, including children, screaming and crying in fear have also gone viral.
The DGCA said the aircraft was cruising at an altitude of approximately 36,000 feet near Punjab's Pathankot when it ran into a thunderstorm and hailstorm.Experiencing severe turbulence, the crew first requested the northern ATC to allow the flight to deviate towards the International Border, which had recently witnessed intense hostilities between India and Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. However, the request was denied.advertisementThe pilot then sought permission from the Lahore air traffic control (ATC) to briefly venture into Pakistani airspace to avoid the storm. But it was refused too.With limited options left, the pilot initially considered returning to Delhi, the DGCA statement said. However, since the aircraft was close to the "thunderstorm cloud", returning made it an unsafe option. The pilot then decided to continue forward through the storm towards Srinagar on the shortest possible route.
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