Flight operations at Pune airport resumed on Saturday morning after the runway was cleared and declared operational following an overnight closure caused by a technical snag in an Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter aircraft, officials said.
As reported by news agency PTI, a fighter aircraft experienced a technical issue in the undercarriage during landing around 10.25 pm on Friday, causing the runway to be blocked, Pune airport director Santosh Dhoke said in a press statement.
Dhoke said, “As per SATCO, IAF, the aircraft became immobilised. Both pilots are safe. Due to the aircraft`s position and damage, a NOTAM was issued for temporary runway closure until 5.30 am, later extended to 9 am to facilitate safe removal, inspection, and restoration,” as per PTI.
During the late hours of Friday, flight operations at Pune Airport were temporarily suspended following an incident involving an Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft.
Reacting to the incident, Union Minister Murlidhar Mohol said the runway operations were temporarily halted due to the IAF aircraft incident, but all crew members are safe, and no civil damage has occurred. He added that all airlines have been informed, and around five hours were required to restore operations. Mohol further stated that he is in constant coordination with airport authorities and IAF officials to ensure the situation is normalised at the earliest.
Airport authorities confirmed at 7:40 am on Saturday that the runway had been cleared with safety checks completed on priority. Departures resumed from 7:30 am, followed by arrivals from 8:00 am, with operations gradually normalising through the day.
Later in a post on X, the IAF said, “The runway has now been restored and declared operational. All necessary safety inspections and clearances have been completed. Operations are resuming in a phased manner.”
Dhoke said that the IAF aircraft was cleared from the runway around 5.45 am, and the runway has since been declared fit for operations.
More than 70 flights were cancelled from Pune Airport
While 12 flights arriving at the airport were diverted, as many as 73 flights of various airlines were cancelled, it states.
Passengers on the affected flights were provided drinking water, beverages and light refreshments.
The official statement also added, “Teams from the CISF and AAI ensured smooth passenger handling and effective crowd management. Flight operations have now returned to normal. Airlines have coordinated with passengers regarding delays, cancellations, and diversions.”