The Mumbai Airport’s runway 27 has been closed for operations after an Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft AN-32 overran runway. According to news agency ANI, IAF aircraft AN-32 was departing for Yelahanka Air Force near Bengaluru, Karnataka. Airport authorities have confirmed the incident. Airport authorities told ANI, “We confirm, departing Air force Aircraft had runway excursion at 2339 hours at RWY 27.” No injuries have been reported so far. Runway 27 at Mumbai Airport which IAF aircraft AN-32 overran isn’t available for operations, reported the news agency. Further details awaited.
The incident occurred around 11.39 p.m. when the IAF plane, an Antonov AN-32, a military transport aircraft, was preparing to take off from the main runway at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.
The aircraft was departing for Yelahanka Air Force Base near Bengaluru, said IAF sources, adding and there were no casualties.
According to Defence Ministry officials, the aircraft had to abandon take off in view of a technical issue and overshot the runway, stopping just a few metres from the boundary wall of the airport.
“The aircraft and the crew are safe. A recovery team has arrived in Mumbai and the aircraft will be cleared shortly,” an official said.
Efforts are on to move the aircraft from the mud to the concrete runway even as flight operations continued unhampered from the secondary runway.
However, over a dozen flights were hit by delays as the operations were shifted from runway 0927 to the shorter 14/32 runway, leaving many passengers fuming.
