An Air India flight from Delhi to Stockholm carrying 179 passengers hit an airport terminal building while landing in the Swedish capital. No casualties have been reported.
The accident occurred at 5.45 pm about 50 metres from the Stockholm Arlanda airport, when the plane was being taxied towards the gate. Its left wingtip hit the building, causing damage to the plane.
A passenger who was on the flight told TNM, "The flight was taxiing, announcing early arrival. Suddenly, there was a big screeching sound and skid; and within minutes police cars had surrounded us. It was crazy - only then did we realise that the wing had hit a building and was stuck there."
Air India plane wing hit wall in Stockholm. Sad sight. pic.twitter.com/lPTGKevd7d
— Tarun Shukla (@shukla_tarun) November 29, 2018
"The 179 passengers were able to get off the plane via a mobile staircase and then enter the terminal," the local police said in a statement.
According to news agency ANI, the 179 passengers on the flight were shifted to another Air India carrier and the cockpit crew was taken off duty.
Police have started the investigating the mishap.
Meanwhile, the AI 167 flight from Stockholm to Delhi has been cancelled. The passengers are stranded at the airport. So far, there has been no statement or acknowledgement from Air India on the issue.
AI167 from Stockholm to Delhi cancelled. #airindia 239 passengers stranded at ARN airport, no air India person there to answer. Handling agent SAS says waiting to hear from air India. @jayantsinha @Ashok_Gajapathi @airindiain @AirIndia_assist @Airindiase
— Ramesh Bhootra (@rameshbhootra) November 28, 2018
Earlier in October, Air India pilots kept flying the flight to Dubai even after a mishap during takeoff. The plane's underside had been badly scraped while it took off from Trichy. The plane had to be diverted to Mumbai as a result.
And in September 2018, an Air India flight landed on an under-construction runway at Male airport in Maldives. The flight, AI 263, was operational on the Delhi-Thiruvananthapuram-Male route. The 136 passengers on board were all safe.