Pakistan Refused Airspace Amidst Severe Turbulence: Delhi-Srinagar IndiGo Flight's Harrowing Truth

New Delhi: A Delhi-Srinagar IndiGo flight carrying over 220 passengers, including Trinamool Congress MPs, encountered a sudden hailstorm on Wednesday, leaving everyone fearful. The pilot, in a bid to avoid turbulence, requested permission from Lahore Air Traffic Control to briefly use Pakistan's airspace. However, the request was denied, leading to a harrowing experience for the passengers.

Flight 6E 2142, operated by IndiGo, took off from Delhi and was headed to Srinagar when it encountered severe turbulence while flying over Amritsar due to a sudden hailstorm. The pilot, in a bid to avoid the turbulence, requested permission from Lahore Air Traffic Control to deviate through Pakistani airspace. However, the request was rejected, and the aircraft maintained its original flight path, encountering severe turbulence.

Sagarika Ghose, a Trinamool Congress MP on board, described the experience as a "near-death experience". "I thought my life was over. People were screaming, praying, and panicking," she said. Ghose praised the pilot, saying, "Hats off to the pilot who brought us through that. When we landed, we saw the nose of the plane had blown up." The passengers were visibly shaken, but fortunately, no injuries were reported.

DGCA Initiates Probe

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has initiated a probe into the incident. The aviation regulator will investigate the circumstances leading to the turbulence and the pilot's decision to request permission to use Pakistan's airspace.

IndiGo released a statement saying that the flight navigated a sudden hailstorm and landed safely at Srinagar International Airport. "All customers were attended to upon landing, and no injuries were reported. The aircraft is currently undergoing necessary inspection and maintenance in Srinagar and will resume operations once all clearances have been secured," the airline said.

The incident comes against the backdrop of tensions between India and Pakistan, following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed at least 26 people. Pakistan has closed its airspace to Indian carriers, and India has reciprocated by shutting its airspace to Pakistani airlines. However, the denial of permission by Pakistan's air traffic control has exposed the country's priorities and its stance on human lives.