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Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered an inquiry into Thursday late evening incident at Surat airport where a Boeing 737-800 aircraft had hit a stray buffalo while taking off.
A team from the DGCA regional office in Mumbai is already in Surat to probe the incident. Simultaneously, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) has also been asked to inquire into the incident. Following the incident, SpiceJet has further suspended all operations from Surat airport.
Surat police has registered an FIR with regard to the incident and initiated investigation.
The Spicejet flight SG-622 from Surat to New Delhi was carrying 140 passengers and six crew on board. Though there was no injury to any of the persons on board the flight, there was considerable damage to the aircraft of the private carrier. The buffalo died in the incident.
Minister of Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati on Friday morning called a meeting of secretary, civil aviation, DGCA, chairman and other top officials of the Airport Authority of India (AAI) in New Delhi.
"The minister directed that an inquiry should also be conducted by AAI alongwith DGCA inquiry to ensure that no such incident recur in Surat airport or at any other airport," the AAI said in an official statement issued today.
The minister desired that immediate action should be taken to ensure that no airport boundary is breached resulting in this type of safety hazards in future, it added. According to AAI it has also been decided to send teams to visit all such airports where there are similar safety concerns, within the next one month and to take remedial measures within three months.
The AAI further informed that AAI member (operations) along with Regional Executive Director/ Western Region, AAI, were in Surat for inspection and discussion with Surat district collector for suggesting preventive measures to be taken in future to ensure environment management around the airport.
This is not a stray incident. Earlier also it had been intimated by airport authority about this type of breach by animal of surrounding villagers. The matter was also taken up with district administration and in the Airport Environmental Committee meetings also which is headed by District Collector.
The Civil Aviation minister has also desired that AAI should frame short term, medium term and long term plans for vulnerable airports where these types of airport boundary breaches have been reported, the AAI statement stated.
Meanwhile, SpiceJet said in a statement that 'stray animals are a growing menace in some airports'. It has further suspended all operations from Surat airport.
"This incident has affected our regular operations and hence SpiceJet flights from Surat will be suspended indefinitely due to aircraft being grounded." the company said in a statement. SpiceJet would "await results of investigation along with corrective measures that will be taken by the airport to ensure passengers, crew, and aircraft are not put at risk again".
Local police officials said, "A case has been registered with regard to the incident of a buffalo hitting a plane which was going to take off from Surat airport."
"The investigation into the matter was on as to how the animal got on the runway and who was responsible for it," a senior police official of the Dumas Police station where the complaint has been registered said.
Local officials of AAI at Surat airport said on condition of anonymity that it was as serious issue that has raised safety concerns at the airport.
