A sudden storm at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, India, caused significant damage to three Air India Airbus A320 aircraft after unsecured ground equipment was blown into them. The incident occurred yesterday afternoon as violent winds and heavy rain swept across the tarmac.
Footage Captures Chaos
Video filmed through a terminal window shows powerful gusts battering the airport, with a set of boarding stairs being blown across the tarmac. Ground staff in hi-vis jackets could be seen sprinting after the runaway stairs. A driverless ground support vehicle was also pushed across the tarmac, passing just feet from stationary aircraft.
Aircraft Damaged, No Injuries
All three planes were empty at the time of the incident, and no injuries were reported. Airport officials confirmed that a step ladder and a trestle were blown into the aircraft by the strong winds. A source from IndiGo told local media that the trestle had been secured but came loose during the severe weather.
Air Traffic Control failed to warn the airport operator or airlines about the deteriorating conditions, according to reports. All three aircraft were withdrawn from service following the damage. Two are expected to return to operation this week, while repairs to the third may take several days longer.
Previous Incident
This is not the first weather-related mishap involving an Air India aircraft at the same airport. In January, a new Airbus A350 was damaged after ingesting an unsecured baggage container while taxiing in dense fog following a flight from New York.
The step ladder and trestle were reportedly badly damaged, but the absence of injuries provided some relief. Airport authorities are reviewing safety protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future.
