Chennai: Air India flight AI 2455, flying from Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi, was forced to make an emergency landing at Chennai Airport following a technical malfunction in the radar system. The flight, scheduled to depart from Thiruvananthapuram at 7:15 pm, took off about 30 minutes late.

About an hour into the flight, the crew detected a problem with the radar communication system, prompting the pilot to divert the aircraft to Chennai for safety reasons.

Among the passengers were Members of Parliament from Kerala, including KC Venugopal, Kodikunnil Suresh, Adoor Prakash, and K. Radhakrishnan. 

Speaking to media persons soon after landing, K.C. Venugopal described the ordeal as a "narrow escape from a major mishap".

He said, "There was a radar issue in the aircraft, which forced the crew to make an emergency landing. We were in the air for about one hour and ten minutes before landing. I have already informed the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) about the matter."

Adding to the concern, passengers reported that as the aircraft approached for landing, another plane was present on the runway, creating a potentially dangerous situation.

According to Adoor Prakash, the pilots had to make a sudden decision to abort the landing.

"We were about to touch down when we saw another aircraft on the runway. The plane immediately climbed again and circled in the air for around half an hour before making a safe landing. The crew handled the situation professionally," he said.

While all passengers were safe, the incident has raised questions about air traffic coordination and the possible risk of a runway incursion.

The airline and airport authorities are investigating the technical glitch that led to the unscheduled landing.

With IANS inputs