Air India plane mistakenly lands at non-operational runway at Maldives' Male Airport

Sep 7 (AZINS) In a massive error, Air India flight AI263 from Thiruvananthapuram to Male landed on a non-operational runway on Male Velana airport in Maldives on Friday evening. The plane was initially stuck at the runway before airport authorities rushed in to provide help.

All 136 passengers and 7 crew members are safe. The aircraft has been towed to parking bay after deflating its two front wheels. According to reports this runway has been construction from March 2019 and work is almost finished. That probably lead to this mistake from the pilots. Both the pilots have been off- rostered, according to DGCA communique.

A senior Air India official said the aircraft "VT EXL landed on an under-construction runway at Male". The plane landed at Velana international airport at Male."It could be because the pilots applied brakes on realising that they landed on a wrong runway. "The local authorities are conducting a probe," he added.

DGCA in a communique has said, " This being a serious incident, Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has been informed. Both the pilots have been off rostered".

The almost constructed runway is 3,400-meter-long, 60-meter-wide.

Reports indicate aircraft's wheels and brake assemblies have been damaged. A month back, a Jet Airways plane tried to take off from Riyadh airport, even when it was not in its designated place.