Jet-Kingfisher aircraft collide, no casualties

MUMBAI - A Jet Airways aircraft was involved in a “minor collision” with a Kingfisher Airlines plane at Mumbai airport early Saturday, but there were no casualties, an official said. A probe has been ordered.

The collision took place around 2 a.m. when Jet’s Mumbai-Muscat flight 9W540 with 80 passengers was preparing to take off from the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, the airport official said. The Kingfisher aircraft was not carrying any passengers.

While pushing back from bay No.85, the aircraft’s wing tip brushed against the tail of the Kingfisher plane parked in the adjacent bay No.84. Both are private airlines.

“The wing tip of the Jet Airways aircraft hit the left hand stabiliser of the Kingfisher aircraft. We are evaluating the extent of the damage,” a Kingfisher Airlines spokesperson told IANS.

Since the Airbus E321 Kingfisher aircraft had been parked there for Friday night, there were no passengers or crew on board. A maintenance team was engaged in carrying out repairs to one of the engines of the aircraft at the time of the incident.

Both the airlines reported the matter to the Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which has ordered a probe.

“Taking a serious view of the matter, the authorities grounded both the aircraft and the matter is being thoroughly investigated,” the airport official said.

There were no passenger or crew casualties on the Jet Airways side and the passengers were accommodated on an alternative flight later.

This is the fourth incident involving different aircraft at the highly-congested Mumbai airport in the past two days.