Air India Express Issues Statement After Abu Dhabi-Kozhikode Flight Engine Fire, Calls it 'Technical Snag'

Air India Express released a statement on Friday, hours after flames were spotted in a flight from Abu Dhabi to Calicut, informing passengers that a mechanical fault caused one of the aircraft's engines to catch fire.

"Air India Express flight IX 348, on the Abu Dhabi-Kozhikode route, returned to Abu Dhabi airport following a technical snag in one of the engines. The technical snag was identified while taking off and the aircraft landed back Safely, following all laid down procedures, at Abu Dhabi International Airport with the 184 passengers onboard," Air India said in a statement, adding that they regret the inconvenience caused to the guests on board. 

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The statement added that this event has been reported to the regulatory authorities as per protocol, and alternate arrangements are being made for the guests. Earlier today, a Calicut-bound Air India Express flight from Abu Dhabi landed back at Abu Dhabi airport after flames were detected in one of the engines soon after take-off. Earlier on January 23, an Air India Express flight from Trivandrum to Muscat landed back 45 minutes after taking off due to a technical glitch, officials said. 

According to officials, the flight management system (FMS) developed a technical glitch. "The flight took off from Trivandrum at 8.30 am and landed back at 9.17 am," they added. In December 2022, a snake was found on a Dubai-bound Air India Express flight. 

Air India Express Boeing B-737 flight from Calicut to Dubai took off as scheduled, and after landing at Dubai airport, the staff reported a snake on board the aircraft. The aviation regulatory body, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), had ordered a detailed probe regarding the incident, the aviation body said. 

(With ANI Inputs)