Lucknow: An Air India Express flight bound for Delhi from Varanasi carried out a precautionary landing at Lucknow airport on Thursday morning after a smoke warning indicator sounded in the cargo bay, according to sources.

However, initial inspections conducted at Lucknow airport revealed no evidence of smoke or fire on board the aircraft, sources added.

Flight IX 1253, carrying 155 passengers, departed Varanasi airport at approximately 8:00 a.m. Briefly after departure, the cargo hold smoke alarm triggered, prompting the pilot to notify Lucknow Air Traffic Control (ATC) and request permission to land.

The plane touched down in Lucknow at 8:52 a.m., whereupon airport emergency teams, fire crews, and technical personnel met the aircraft. All 155 passengers and crew were disembarked by 9:02 a.m., sources stated.

An Air India Express spokesperson said the flight crew, prioritising passenger safety, elected to make a precautionary diversion to Lucknow after detecting a technical issue.

The aircraft landed safely, and all passengers were offered refreshments following arrival in Lucknow. An alternative aircraft was arranged on priority to transport the passengers to their final destination, the airline added.

The aircraft was subsequently towed to a hangar, where preliminary checks showed no signs of smoke or fire inside the plane, sources said, noting that an investigation remains ongoing to identify what triggered the alarm.

ANI