It ultimately came down to the pilot, co-pilot and other crew members, all of whom ensured that the Sharjah-bound Air India Express flight carrying 141 passengers landed safely at the Tiruchirapalli airport on Friday night. Civil aviation minister K Rammohan Naidu said they followed all safety protocols, ensuring the well-being of every passenger during the emergency.

After the emergency landing, pilot Iqrom Rifadly Fahmi Zainal and co-pilot Maitryee Shrikrishna Shitole were spotted exiting the Tiruchirapalli airport. The flight, which ran into technical issues mid-air, took to circling in the airspace for at least two hours when the pilots noticed that its bottom wheel had not retracted.

It was quick thinking on behalf of the pilots, who contacted the Tiruchirapalli’s air traffic control (ATC) and decided to return to base. They were granted permission to make a belly landing but having circled the airspace for two hours to reduce fuel as a safety precaution, they were able to make a normal landing without any hiccups.

According to preliminary reports and sources, the pilots followed the standard operating procedure (SOP) in such cases by circling to drain the fuel to a safe level and made a normal landing. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said it will conduct a thorough examination of the Boeing 737 plane that suffered a hydraulic failure to ascertain the cause of the glitch.

Naidu said the airport and emergency teams responded swiftly and effectively after a full emergency was declared at 6.05 pm. The flight landed at 8.15 pm. “The DGCA has been instructed to conduct a thorough examination of the aircraft to determine the exact cause of the hydraulic issue. In the meantime, Air India Express has been advised to provide all necessary assistance to the passengers, including alternate arrangements for their onward journey,” he said.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin also congratulated the pilots and other crew members for the safe landing. “I am heartened to hear that the #AirIndiaExpress flight has landed safely. Upon receiving news of the landing gear issue, I immediately coordinated an emergency meeting with officials over the phone and instructed them to implement all necessary safety measures, including deploying fire engines, ambulances, and medical assistance,” he said.

He added: “I have also now directed the District Collector to ensure the continued safety of all the passengers and to provide further assistance. My compliments to the Captain and crew for the safe landing.”