Delhi Bound Akasa Airlines Flight Grounded At Mumbai Airport After Cargo Vehicle Collision

Mumbai: An Akasa Airlines flight, scheduled to depart from Mumbai to Delhi, on Monday collided with a BWFS cargo container vehicle during unloading operations at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. The incident occurred at the airport at around 7.05 am, after the aircraft arrived from Bengaluru and was parked at bay A-7. According to reports, the vehicle, driven by Anil Uttekar, accidentally collided with the right-side wing of the aircraft, resulting in damage to both the wing and the container.

Reports suggested that the impact of the collision was huge, causing damage to the aircraft's wing. As a result, the airline declared the aircraft AOG (Aircraft On Ground), rendering it unfit for flight. The airline promptly arranged a replacement aircraft, which was parked at bay. The boarding process for flight QP1410 was initiated using bus boarding, ensuring minimal disruption to passengers.

An investigation has been initiated to ascertain the exact cause of the collision. The authorities have conducted the breath analyzer (BA) test result of the driver, Anil Uttekar, came back negative. 

The officials stated that driver Anil Uttekar, employed by BWFS, was driving the cargo container vehicle. 

The officials further stated that Akasa Airlines flight QP1410, which was scheduled to depart from Mumbai to Delhi, had a total of 155 passengers on board, along with 6 crew members, including 2 pilots and 4 cabin crew. 

Following the collision, the original aircraft was replaced by another aircraft for further operations. 

Meanwhile, the collision between the cargo vehicle and the aircraft raises questions about the procedures in place for handling cargo operations and ensuring the safety of aircraft.

Further details regarding the incident are awaited.