'Near-death experience,' says TMC leader Sagarika Ghose recalling Delhi-Srinagar Indigo flight turbulence

Delhi-Srinagar Indigo flight turbulence: Trinamool Congress leader Sagarika Ghose, who was on the turbulence-hit Indigo flight bound for Srinagar Wednesday, termed it a "near death experience."

A five-member delegation of Trinamool Congress comprising Derek O'Brien, Nadimul Haque, Sagarika Ghose, Manas Bhunia, and Mamata Thakur, was on the Srinagar-bound flight that experienced turbulence due to inclement weather.

The jolts prompted the pilot to report an "emergency" to air traffic control at Srinagar.

"It was a near death experience. I thought my life was over. People were screaming, praying and panicking," Ghose was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. A former journalsit, Sagarika Ghose is a TMC Rajya Sabha MP.

An Indigo flight from Delhi to Srinagar encountered sudden hailstorm leading to severe turbulence on 21 May, prompting the pilot to report the ‘emergency’ to air traffic control at Srinagar.

Landed safely at 6:30 pm at Srinagar airport

The flight carrying more than 220 people, however, later landed safely at 6:30 pm at Srinagar airport but not before leaving the passengers in panic as it navigated the massive mid-air turbulence.

"Hats off to the pilot who brought us through that. When we landed we saw the nose of the plane had blown up," she said, adding, the delegation thanked the pilot after the landing.

Videos of the moments of turbulence emerged on social media showing panicked passengers praying for their lives as the plane swayed.

The airline said the flight from the national capital to Srinagar encountered sudden hailstorm and the plane landed safely at the Srinagar airport.

"IndiGo flight 6E 2142 operating from Delhi to Srinagar encountered sudden hailstorm en route. The flight and cabin crew followed established protocol and the aircraft landed safely in Srinagar," the airline said in a statement.

The TMC delegation will be in Jammu and Kashmir till 23 May and visit Poonch and Rajouri, besides Srinagar.

The party has said the delegation is there to express solidarity with the people affected by cross-border attacks, and share the grief of the families who have lost their loved ones.

(With PTI inputs)