Dog enters Goa airport runway causing AirAsia India flight to abort take-off
New Delhi, Sep 1: An AirAsia India flight to Delhi had to abort its take-off at Goa airport on Sunday after a dog entered the runway when the plane was readying to depart, an official said.
Flight I5778 was set to depart around 8.25 am, the official of the Airports Authority of India said.
"The dog, once spotted by the Air Traffic Control, was immediately removed from the runway. The flight then departed at around 9.15 am," the official added.
Commercial airline companies in Goa operate their planes from the civil enclave of INS Hansa, an airbase of the Indian Navy.
Chief of Safety of AirAsia India in a statement said that as a stray dog was spotted on the runway, Goa ATC cancelled the takeoff clearance of I5-778 scheduled to operate between Goa and New Delhi.
"The aircraft had just commenced its takeoff roll. The sighting was confirmed by Goa ATC and has since also been reported to DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation)," he said.
The same aircraft and crew thereafter operated after a delay of 40 minutes, he said.
"AirAsia India regrets the delay caused on account of this to any guest travelling onboard. We state that we place safety foremost and the delay was caused due to reasons beyond our control," he added.
AirAsia India currently has a fleet of 22 aircraft covering 19 destinations across the country.
The Indian Navy spokesperson on Twitter said, "At about 0825 hours today, when AirAsia flight 778 was rolling for take off at Goa airport, alert ATC spotted a dog entering runway and immediately informed pilot who aborted take off. The flight departed 0915 hours after additional technical checks."
The spokesperson added, "INS Hansa has proactively taken steps to relocate dogs from vicinity of runway. Under an MoU of IndianNavy with the Department of Animal Husbandry, nearly 60 dogs have been relocated since mid August."
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Security forces destroy 23 illegal bunkers, seize 18 IEDs in Manipur
Imphal (PTI): Security forces have destroyed 23 bunkers illegally constructed in Manipur's Ukhrul and seized 18 IEDs in Tengnoupal district in separate operations, a police statement said on Saturday.
The bunkers were destroyed on Thursday in the hill villages of Mongkot Chepu, Shongphel, Mullam, Sirarakhong and Ringue in Litan police station area, it said.
A 12-bore pump action gun, 17 cartridges of different calibres and 111 empty cases of fired bullets were also seized.
At least seven people have been shot dead in different firing incidents and more than 30 houses have been torched since violence broke out between Tangkhul Naga and Kuki communities in Ukhrul district in February this year.
Meanwhile, in a separate operation on Wednesday, security forces seized a cache of arms and explosives in T Bongmol village in Moreh police station area in Tengnoupal district.
Two single-barrel rifles, four 9mm pistols with magazines and 18 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were seized. The explosives were destroyed on the spot, it added.
