NEW DELHI — An Air India flight from Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi, carrying Congress leader KC Venugopal and several MPs, made an emergency diversion to Chennai on Sunday after the crew detected a suspected technical fault amid adverse weather conditions.
Flight AI2455 landed safely, and the aircraft is undergoing checks. “Given the suspected issue and weather en route, the crew made a precautionary diversion. Our teams in Chennai are assisting passengers and arranging onward travel,” an Air India spokesperson said.
Venugopal described the ordeal as a “harrowing journey.” On X, he wrote that after a delayed departure, the flight encountered “unprecedented turbulence.” An hour later, the captain announced a flight signal fault and diverted to Chennai.
For nearly two hours, the aircraft circled the airport before a “heart-stopping” aborted landing, reportedly due to another plane on the runway. The captain’s quick pull-up, Venugopal said, “saved every life on board.” The jet landed safely on the second attempt.
He urged the DGCA and the Civil Aviation Ministry to investigate, fix accountability, and ensure such lapses never recur. The DGCA has yet to issue a statement.
