FlightRadar24 Tracker Shows Mumbai-Phuket IndiGo Flight Diverted To Malaysia Due to Bad Weather

Mumbai: An IndiGo flight traveling from Mumbai to Phuket, was diverted to Penang International Airport in Malaysia on Friday due to bad weather conditions, according to the airline. Details about the number of passengers onboard the plane could not be immediately ascertained.

The flight 6E1071, originally scheduled to land in Phuket at 10:30 a.m. (Malaysian Time), was forced to touch down in Penang at around 11:00 a.m. Passengers were not allowed to disembark during this time, according to one passenger onboard. The flight later departed Penang at approximately 2:55 p.m. Malaysian time and successfully landed in Phuket.

Some people took to social media to mention about the flight's diversion. IndiGo released a statement explaining the situation: "In response to adverse weather conditions in Phuket, flight 6E1701, operating from Mumbai to Phuket, has been diverted to Penang, Malaysia, the nearest airport." The airline further mentioned that the process of securing the required permission to operate to Phuket was underway, causing some delay.

"Passengers have been fully informed of the unexpected detour. In the meantime, refreshments have been provided to ensure their comfort," the statement said. Passengers also experienced a distressing ordeal, reporting clogged washrooms, lack of food and water, and being stranded on the tarmac for over three hours.

Although the exact number of passengers onboard was not immediately available, the flight was operated with an Airbus A320 family aircraft, as noted on the flight tracking website FlightRadar24. This diversion, despite Penang not being a regular IndiGo destination, was deemed necessary to ensure the safety of the passengers, the airline confirmed.