Cyclone Fengal: IndiGo Flight Lands Dramatically Amid Strong Winds At Chennai Airport — Watch Video

An IndiGo Airlines flight faced a near-miss during its landing attempt at Chennai International Airport on Saturday evening due to the extreme weather conditions caused by Cyclone Fengal. The incident was captured on video and quickly went viral.

Pilots and air traffic controllers faced challenges as the storm approached the Tamil Nadu coast.

Challenging conditions at Chennai International airport as cyclone Fengal makes landfall near Puducherry and is likely to cross the Tamil Nadu coasts in the next three to four hours.

The cyclonic storm brought heavy rains in the coastal districts, inundating houses and… pic.twitter.com/1AUohfWfB9 — Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) November 30, 2024

 Close Call During Landing

The viral footage showed an IndiGo Airbus A320neo struggling to land on the runway as Cyclone Fengal brought adverse weather to the region.

The plane appeared to be mere inches from touching down when the pilot made the critical decision to abort the landing and take off again. The abrupt maneuver was a result of the unsafe landing conditions caused by strong winds and heavy rain, exacerbated by the cyclone.

Cyclone Fengal’s Impact

Cyclone Fengal made landfall near Puducherry late on Saturday night, with the storm bringing heavy rains to the coastal regions of Tamil Nadu. The cyclone caused significant disruptions, flooding homes and hospitals, and prompting the closure of several airports in the affected areas.

Chennai airport authorities had earlier issued an operational suspension notice, advising passengers to check the status of their flights. The closure was extended until 4 am on Sunday, December 1, 2024, due to safety concerns amid the ongoing storm.

By Sunday morning, the airport resumed operations, although delays and cancellations were reported.

 IndiGo’s Response and Safety Measures

In response to the viral video, IndiGo Airlines released a statement emphasizing the safety protocols followed by the flight crew.

A spokesperson for the airline explained that the cockpit crew of flight 6E-683, which was traveling from Mumbai to Chennai, executed a "go-around" after determining that a safe landing could not be achieved.

The airline assured passengers that such maneuvers are standard procedure in aviation and that the pilots are extensively trained to handle such situations.