New Delhi: An Indigo Airlines flight from Amritsar to Ahmedabad diverted near Lahore in Pakistan due to bad weather and safely headed toward Indian airspace. Had reached Gujranwala before returning. This information has been given in news that came in the media on Sunday.
According to the flight radar, the Indian aircraft flying at a speed of 454 knots entered northern Lahore at around 7.30 pm on Saturday and returned to India at 8.15 pm, the newspaper reported. According to the report, a senior official of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said that this is not unusual as it is internationally allowed it occurs.
Indigo in its statement said, “Indigo flight 6E-645 from Amritsar to Ahmedabad had to land in Pakistan airspace from Attari due to bad weather. The diversion was well coordinated with Pakistan by the Amritsar ATC via telephone. The crew was in constant touch with Pakistan on the R/T and the flight landed safely at Ahmedabad after the diversion.
It may be noted that in May, due to heavy rains in Pakistan, a Pakistan International Airline (PIA) aircraft entered Indian airspace and remained there for about 10 minutes. Flight PK248 was returning from Muscat on May 4 and was to land at the Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore. However, due to heavy rain, it was becoming difficult for the pilot of the Boeing 777 aircraft to do so.
Meanwhile, flights were diverted or delayed due to poor visibility at airports in Pakistan. The CAA spokesperson said the weather alert for Lahore has been extended till 11.30 pm on Saturday due to visibility at the Allama Iqbal International Airport being 5,000 meters. Several flights bound for Lahore were diverted to Islamabad due to poor visibility.
Parts of Pakistan received rain accompanied by strong winds and thunder on Saturday evening. According to the news of ‘The Express Tribune newspaper, the most affected areas were three adjoining districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, where around 29 people lost their lives.
