‘Smoke in the cockpit’: Pune airport tests crisis response with emergency drill | VIDEO

Pune: A full-scale emergency mock drill was carried out at Pune airport on Saturday, simulating a scenario of “smoke in the cockpit” of a dummy aircraft, airport officials said.

The exercise was conducted in line with the guidelines of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the aviation regulator, with the aim of assessing the preparedness, response coordination, and operational efficiency of all stakeholders in managing a real-time aviation emergency.

Participation from multiple agencies

An official release stated that nearly 330 personnel from various agencies took part in the emergency drill at the airport. The simulated scenario involved the detection of "smoke in the cockpit" of an incoming dummy aircraft, triggering the activation of the Airport Emergency Plan.

Quick emergency response

Following the alert, firefighting units from the Indian Air Force, Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting services, as well as fire brigades from civic bodies in Pune and surrounding areas, responded promptly to the scene. “Survivors” of the mock incident were guided to designated reception centres for care and support.

Post-drill review

During a post-drill debriefing session, independent evaluators shared their observations and recommendations with the participating teams to help improve future responses, the release added.

PTI inputs