NEW DELHI– An Air India Express flight from Delhi to Indore landed safely Friday after suffering a mid-air engine issue, officials confirmed. All 161 passengers and crew members were unharmed.
The flight, IX 1028, encountered a suspected oil filter problem during its descent into Indore. The pilots promptly issued a “PAN-PAN” call — an internationally recognized signal indicating an urgent but not life-threatening situation — to Air Traffic Control.
“Due to a suspected oil filter issue during descent into Indore, following standard operating procedures, the crew landed safely. Our pilots are well trained to carry out such precautionary measures,” an Air India Express spokesperson said.
The aircraft touched down at Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport roughly 20 minutes behind schedule. The airline reiterated that safety was never compromised.
“The crew of this plane with flight number IX 1028 and all passengers on board are completely safe,” the spokesperson added.
This marks the second mid-air scare involving an Indian carrier in recent weeks. An IndiGo flight from Delhi to Goa was forced to make an emergency landing in Mumbai after an engine problem. On July 19, an Air India Express flight bound for Phuket also had to return to Hyderabad shortly after takeoff due to a technical fault.
Air India Express, which operates Boeing 737 Max aircraft on domestic and international routes, said passenger safety remains its “highest priority.” (Source: IANS)
