IndiGo flight with 'nose damage' from Delhi storm was denied entry into Pakistan airspace, DGCA clarifies

Pakistan turned down a request from a Srinagar-bound IndiGo flight, which was battered by severe turbulence on Wednesday evening, to enter its airspace, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has confirmed. The regulator has initiated a detailed investigation into the incident.

The Airbus A321 Neo aircraft – carrying more than 220 people, including Trinamool Congress MPs – was cruising at 36,000 feet when it encountered extreme weather conditions. According to the DGCA, the crew had requested a deviation from their flight path due to an approaching storm, but this was denied by Northern Control, operated by the Indian Air Force. A subsequent attempt to enter Pakistani airspace by contacting Lahore ATC was also refused.

Faced with rapidly deteriorating weather conditions and limited alternatives, the crew initially considered turning back but ultimately decided to fly through the storm to minimise exposure time.

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“The aircraft experienced updraughts and downdraughts that caused the autopilot to disengage, leading to significant speed fluctuations,” the DGCA stated. “Warnings for exceeding the maximum operating speed and repeated stall alerts were also triggered. At one point, the aircraft's rate of descent peaked at 8,500 feet per minute.”

The pilots were forced to take manual control until the aircraft exited the turbulent zone. A PAN PAN emergency call was made to Srinagar ATC, after which the aircraft received radar vectors and landed safely. The auto-thrust system resumed normal operation prior to touchdown.

Following the safe landing, a post-flight inspection revealed damage to the aircraft's nose radome, likely caused by hail impact.

Several videos surfaced on social media showing passengers, including children, screaming and crying in distress as the aircraft shook violently after being caught in the storm.

Watch | Mid-air scare! Passengers scream, pray as IndiGo flight from Delhi to Srinagar navigates turbulence

A hailstorm, accompanied by heavy rain and winds reaching speeds of up to 79 km/h, battered Delhi-NCR late on Wednesday evening, leading to fallen trees, waterlogging, and severe traffic congestion across multiple areas.

'Near- Death Experince'

Trinamool Congress leader Sagarika Ghose, who was aboard the turbulence-hit IndiGo flight bound for Srinagar, described it as a "near death experience." The jolts had 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 journalist, Sagarika Ghose was serving as a TMC Rajya Sabha MP.