‘Thought It Was My Last Flight’: IndiGo Flight Passenger Recounts Horror After Hailstorm Hits Aircraft En Route Srinagar | VIDEO

A Srinagar-bound IndiGo flight 6E 2142 from Delhi turned into a nightmare for its 227 passengers on Wednesday evening after the aircraft was violently struck by a sudden hailstorm, causing severe turbulence and damaging the aircraft’s nose cone midair. The turbulence was so intense that passengers described it as a ‘near-death experience’. 

The terrifying experience was captured in viral videos showing passengers screaming, praying, and crying in panic while the aircraft shook uncontrollably while flashes of lightning lit up the sky outside.

Sami ul Lah, one of the shaken passengers, shared his terrifying account of what unfolded at 30,000 feet.

The passengers were boarded into the aircraft at around 4.50 PM and the flight had a smooth take off at around 5.06 PM. The passengers received a message from the cockpit when the aircraft was near Udhampur or Pathankot. They were warned of a possible turbulence and were asked to fasten the seat belts to ensure safety.

“I thought it’s my last flight. It was a harrowing, near-death experience for everyone on board. We came face to face with the possibility of dying,” he said.

Describing the chaos in the cabin, Sami said the aircraft swayed from side to side after coming down from nearly 38000 km to 30000 km in few seconds.

 “When we landed, the nose of the aircraft was completely blown off. If the cockpit had taken the hit, we might not have made it. What’s worse is, despite this horrifying experience, IndiGo didn’t even apologise to us.”

He also criticised the airline’s decision to continue flying despite bad weather warnings near Pathankot, saying the flight should have returned to Delhi.

The midair emergency prompted the pilot to alert Air Traffic Control in Srinagar. The aircraft with 227 onboard landed safely in Srinagar at around 6:30 PM.

In a brief statement, IndiGo stated – “IndiGo flight 6E 2142 operating from Delhi to Srinagar encountered a sudden hailstorm en route. The flight and cabin crew followed established protocol and the aircraft landed safely. The airport team attended to the customers after arrival, prioritizing their wellbeing.”

The statement did not address passenger grievances or mention the visible damage to the aircraft nose, captured in social media visuals. The passengers are however yet to be answered on – Was the flying protocol regarding weather conditions followed?