Srinagar, May 22,: A flight carrying a five-member delegation of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) to Srinagar was rocked by severe turbulence on Wednesday, forcing the pilot to declare an emergency mid-air before safely landing at Srinagar Airport.
The delegation, comprising TMC leaders Derek O’Brien, Nadimul Haque, Sagarika Ghose, Manas Bhunia, and Mamata Thakur—was en route to Kashmir as part of a solidarity visit when a sudden hailstorm struck their IndiGo flight 6E 2142 from Delhi. The incident caused intense panic onboard, with passengers screaming, praying, and fearing for their lives.
“It was a near-death experience. I thought my life was over,” said TMC MP and journalist-turned-politician Sagarika Ghose. “People were screaming, praying, and panicking. Hats off to the pilot who brought us through that. When we landed, we saw the nose of the plane had blown up,” she added. The delegation personally thanked the pilot after the flight landed safely with all 200 passengers unharmed.
Videos posted on social media by passengers show chaotic scenes inside the cabin, with the aircraft visibly shaking as prayers and cries echoed.
IndiGo confirmed the scare in an official statement, saying the flight had “encountered a sudden hailstorm en route.” The airline assured that the cabin and flight crew followed protocol and landed the aircraft safely. “The airport team attended to the customers after arrival, prioritizing their wellbeing and comfort,” the airline said, adding that the aircraft will undergo necessary inspection and maintenance before it is cleared for future flights.
The TMC leaders are scheduled to stay in Jammu and Kashmir till May 23. During the visit, they will travel to Poonch, Rajouri, and Srinagar to meet with victims of recent cross-border shelling and express solidarity with families affected by violence.
The party said the purpose of the visit is to “stand by the people of Jammu and Kashmir and share in their grief,” especially those who have lost loved ones in recent attacks. [KNT]
