Dammam-bound Air India Express plane makes emergency landing at Kochi

A Dammam-bound Air India Express plane from Mangaluru with 131 passengers and crew onboard landed under emergency conditions at Kochi after sparks were seen by the Air Traffic Control as the aircraft got airborne.

The Boeing 737-800 aircraft landed safely and there was no harm to any passenger or crew, an Air India Express spokesperson said, adding that after an inspection theaircraft was cleared for onward journey.

The flight IXE 885 took off at 1813 hours on from Mangaluru airport for Dammam in Saudi Arabia. "However, Mangaluru Air Traffic Control noticed sparks inthe aircraft and reported the same to the flight commander.

"The aircraft was subsequently diverted to Kochifollowing permission from the ATC there," the spokespersonsaid. The flight made a "precautionary" landing at Kochi International airport at 1930 hours, he said. Air India Express engineers carried out a thorough inspection of the aircraft upon its arrival at Kochi but did not find any "snag" in it, the spokesperson said adding the aircraft departed for its destination at 1030 hours from Kochi.