• By Mayukh Debnath
  • Tue, 26 Dec 2023 03:30 PM (IST)
  • Source:JND

Goa Airport Operations Suspended: A fighter jet belonging to the Indian Navy suffered a tyre burst shortly ahead of takeoff from Goa's Dabolim airport, officials cited by news agency PTI said. The warplane, a MiG-29K, was about to take off for a routine sortie when the incident took place on the airport's taxiway, the officials added.

According to the officials, the passenger flight operations at the airport have been suspended till 4 pm in wake of the incident, which left the affected combat aircraft stranded on the taxiway. "When the aircraft was on the taxiway ahead of its routine sortie, it suffered a tyre burst. Immediately after that, the fire brigade and other services were pressed into action," a navy spokesperson said, PTI reported.

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The single-seat fighter aircraft will be towed away from the taxiway, he said. Though the Dabolim airport is operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) like other civilian airports, it is situated on Indian Navy's INS Hansa naval base. The airport is situated in South Goa district. A video was published by news agency ANI showing the stranded MiG-29K being removed from the taxiway with the help of a crane. (See below)

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The officials did not disclose what time of the day did the incident take place. "As a result of the incident, the airport runway has been shut for operations till 4 pm. The services of 10 flights were affected. Some flights were diverted to the Manohar International Airport at Mopa," Dabolim airport's director SVT Dhanamjaya stated.

(With inputs from agencies)