A major disaster was narrowly avoided at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport this morning, though it triggered a wave of panic among travelers. A Swiss Air international flight bound for Switzerland experienced a sudden engine fire during its takeoff roll. There were 232 passengers and crew members on board at the time. Just as the aircraft was accelerating on the runway, the pilot received an alert regarding fire and smoke emanating from one of the engines. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the pilot immediately aborted the takeoff by applying emergency brakes and informed Air Traffic Control (ATC) of the emergency.
Following the fire report, several units of the Airport’s Fire Fighting Force (ARFF) reached the spot instantly and managed to douse the flames after a rigorous operation. According to safety protocols, passengers were evacuated using the aircraft’s emergency slides. During this process, and due to smoke filling the cabin, at least six passengers sustained minor injuries and complained of breathing difficulties. The injured were rushed to the airport’s medical center, where they are currently undergoing treatment and are reported to be out of danger. Witnesses described the flames from the engine as terrifying, resulting in a thick plume of smoke covering the runway area.
Immediately following the incident, the main runway at Delhi Airport was temporarily closed for safety reasons. This closure led to a significant disruption of air traffic, with dozens of domestic and international flights diverted to nearby airports like Jaipur and Ahmedabad. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has taken serious note of the event and ordered a high-level inquiry to investigate the technical failure. A team of experts is currently at the site to determine the exact cause of the engine fire. Swiss Air management has expressed regret over the incident, stating that passenger safety remains their top priority, while the airport administration is working to resume operations on the runway as soon as possible.
