IndiGo Srinagar flight crew's request to enter Pak airspace to avoid turbulence was rejected: DGCA
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New Delhi (PTI): Aviation watchdog DGCA on Friday said the crew of the IndiGo flight from the national capital to Srinagar on Wednesday had sought permission to enter Pakistan airspace to avoid turbulence but the request was rejected.
In a detailed statement about the incident, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said there was no injury to any passengers who were on the flight and that the aircraft's "nose radome" was damaged.
The incident of the aircraft encountering turbulence is being probed by the DGCA.
On Wednesday, IndiGo's A321 neo aircraft operating flight 6E 2142 encountered hailstorm and severe turbulence near Pathankot.
"As per crew statement, they requested Northern control (IAF) for deviation towards left (International Border) due to weather on the route, however, it was not approved.
"Later, the crew contacted Lahore to enter into their airspace to avoid the weather but the same was refused too," DGCA said.
According to the regulator, the crew initially attempted to return back but as they were close to the thunderstorm cloud, they decided to penetrate the weather.
"Subsequently, they encountered hailstorm and severe turbulence. Crew chose to continue at the same heading to exit the weather by the shortest route towards Srinagar," the statement said.
On Thursday, PTI reported that the Lahore ATC had rejected the flight pilot's request to use the Pakistan airspace to avoid turbulence.
While in a thunderstorm cloud, the regulator said warnings of Angle of Attack fault, Alternate Law protection lost, backup Speed scale unreliable were triggered.
"Due to updraft and downdraft encountered by the aircraft the Autopilot tripped and aircraft speed had wide variations. As a result, Maximum Operating Speed/Maximum operating Mach (VMO/MMO) warnings and repeated stall warnings were triggered," the statement said.
During this period, DGCA said the aircraft rate of descent reached 8,500 fpm (feet per minute) and crew flew the aircraft manually till they exited the hailstorm.
"After carrying out all checklist actions (ECAM actions), the crew declared 'PAN PAN' to Srinagar ATC and requested for RADAR vectors and made a safe landing with Auto Thrust operating normally," the statement said.
Generally, 'PAN PAN' refers to an emergency situation.
The regulator said the matter is under investigation and that there was no injury to any of the passengers on-board the flight.
"Post flight walk around revealed damage to the Nose radome," the statement said.
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South African police arrest suspect in mass shooting that killed 12, including 3 children
Johannesburg (AP): A 32-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting which claimed the lives of 12 people including three children at an unlicensed pub earlier this month, South African police said on Monday.
The man is suspected of being one of the three people who opened fire on patrons in a pub at Saulsville township, west of South Africa's capital Pretoria, killing 12 people including three children aged 3, 12 and 16.
At least 13 people were also injured during the attack, whose motive remains unknown.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested on Sunday while traveling to Botlokwa in Limpopo province, more than 340 km from where the mass shooting took place on Dec 6.
An unlicensed firearm believed to have been used during the attack was recovered from the suspect's vehicle.
“The 32-year-old suspect was intercepted by Limpopo Tracking Team on the R101 Road in Westenburg precinct. During the arrest, the team recovered an unlicensed firearm, a hand gun, believed to have been used in the commission of the multiple murders. The firearm will be taken to the Forensic Science Laboratory for ballistic analysis,” police said in statement.
The suspect was arrested on the same day that another mass shooting at a pub took place in the Bekkersdal township, west of Johannesburg, in which nine people were killed and 10 wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire on patrons.
Police have since launched a search for the suspects.
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world and recorded more than 26,000 homicides in 2024 — an average of more than 70 a day. Firearms are by far the leading cause of death in homicides.
The country of 62 million people has relatively strict gun ownership laws, but many killings are committed with illegal guns, according to authorities.
According to police, mass shootings at unlicensed bars are becoming a serious problem. Police shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns between April and September this year and arrested more than 18,000 people for involvement in illegal liquor sales.
