• Source:JND

A Fly91 flight operating from Hyderabad to Hubballi on Sunday was diverted to Bengaluru due to adverse weather conditions. Airport officials confirmed that all passengers were safe.

However, the incident triggered panic onboard as the aircraft remained in the air for nearly three-and-a-half to four hours. While officials and the airline said the situation was handled as per standard protocol, several passengers recorded distressing moments that later went viral on social media.

In one such video, a woman is seen visibly terrified, initially sitting with her hands folded in prayer. She is later seen crying uncontrollably, with tears streaming down her face and her body shaking as she mumbles prayers. The clip captures the fear inside the cabin as the aircraft struggled to land amid bad weather.

Passengers can also be heard reacting in panic. Voices of distress echo through the video, with repeated cries of “Oh my God” and wails being heard in the background.

“Oh shit...Why is he doing like this? ” a man is heard shouting, reflecting the tension inside the cabin.

“Ro mat, ro mat, kuch nahi hota, ruko (Don't cry, don't cry – it's nothing. Wait),” another passenger is heard trying to calm others.

The Fly91 flight IC3401 (ATR turboprop AT7) had taken off from Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad around 3 PM and was scheduled to land in Hubballi at 4:30 PM. However, as it approached its destination, bad weather forced the pilots to abort the landing.

The aircraft remained airborne for nearly four hours, circling over areas including Mundgod, Davanagere, and Shivamogga while pilots assessed conditions for a safe landing.

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Amid the turbulence and uncertainty, passengers were seen praying and breaking down in fear. The pilot is also heard reassuring passengers during the situation.

“We are holding. We will keep you updated. Have patience; kindly follow instructions,” the pilot is heard instructing the passengers.

At one point, passengers suggested diverting the flight elsewhere.

“Ask the pilot to go to Bengaluru. Or we can go to Belgaum at least,” a passenger is heard saying.

“Yes. It is nearby,” another responds.

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According to the official, the aircrafthovered over Hubballi, located about 400 km from here, for about an hour in anticipation of improvement in weather conditions before being diverted.

"This is general practice. Aircrafts circle in the air for some time, waiting for the weather to improve. It is the pilot's decision," he said.

In a statement, FLY91 said the flight encountered bad weather upon nearing its destination due to which it was diverted to Bengaluru as per standard protocol.

The flight subsequently returned to Hubballi and back to its home base in Hyderabad, the statement added.

Fly91 said there was zero compromise to safety. Holding the aircraft over Hubballi and diverting to Bengaluru was part of the standard operating procedure. This is among the "best practices" adopted by the industry.

FLY91 has a highly skilled team of pilots, cabin crew and ground staff which are trained to manage any situation which may come up. The regional airline has an impeccable safety record," it added.

The airline said the aircraft did not develop any technical snag as reported in a section of the media.

"Information in some news reports pointing to a technical issue faced by the aircraft is false and baseless," the statement read.


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