Severe turbulence rocks IndiGo flight from Delhi to Srinagar, lands with 227 aboard

An IndiGo flight from Delhi to Srinagar encountered severe turbulence mid-air on Wednesday, triggering panic among passengers as the aircraft shook violently due to a hailstorm. Despite the harrowing experience, the flight landed safely at Srinagar Airport with all 227 passengers and crew unharmed, local media reported.

Flight 6E2142, carrying more than 220 passengers, was en route to Srinagar when it ran into rough weather, prompting the pilot to declare an emergency and alert Air Traffic Control (ATC) in Srinagar.

“IndiGo flight 6E2142 en route Delhi to Srinagar experienced bad weather (hailstorm), emergency reported by Pilot to ATC SXR (Srinagar),” an official from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said. The flight touched down safely at 6:30pm.

Although no injuries were reported, the aircraft sustained damage to its nose cone, which led the airline to declare the plane as “Aircraft on Ground” (AOG), a status indicating it is temporarily unfit for service due to technical issues.

A video of the terrifying incident has since gone viral on social media, showing passengers screaming, crying, and praying as the aircraft shook amid the turbulence. The footage captures rattling overhead bins and visibly distressed passengers gripping their seats in fear.

The incident has sparked renewed concerns about air safety amid unpredictable weather conditions. Authorities said an investigation into the technical condition of the aircraft is underway.