Smoke emerges out of Air India Express flight at Muscat International Airport, 14 passengers injured

Cochin-bound Air India Express flight was noticed billowing smoke at Muscat International airport in Oman; reports of the Times of Oman suggest that 14 people were injured in the incident. Based on the reports, the officials said that the passengers on the Air India Express plane were evacuated using the slides after the smoke coming out of the plane was noticed. The plane was supposed to leave the Muscat airport for Kochi in India. It is to be noted that the incident occurred with the Boeing 737-800 aircraft while it was taxing.

Passengers evacuated via slides after smoke on Air India Express Muscat-Cochin flight IX-442, VT-AXZ.- There were 141 passengers plus 6 crew onboard and all are safe. pic.twitter.com/VUBdymIORk

— Aji Rasheed Ali اجی رشید علی (@ajirasheed) September 14, 2022

Based on the reports, the Indian aviation watchdog authority DGCA will probe the incident while alternate arrangements are being made for the passengers to bring them from Muscat to Cochin.

"A DGCA official said that during taxiing for takeoff, the engine number two experienced smoke and fire. Appropriate Checklist was completed after the incident. Slides were deployed, and all passengers and Crew were evacuated on taxiway and all of them were safe, and no injuries reported," said the official, adding that passengers have been transported to the terminal building.

With inputs from agencies