Mumbai, September 4
Two hundred and thirteen passengers and crew on board Air India flight AI-829 from Mumbai to Riyadh had a miraculous escape after a fire broke out in the engine below the left wing shortly before the take off.
As the Boeing 747-437, named Konark, was being pushed back in preparation for a take off at around 10.50 am a passenger on board noticed sparks coming out of an engine and raised an alarm. The captain of the aircraft was alerted and the fire was put off. Passengers were evacuated from the aircraft via the emergency chutes. As many as 21 passengers received minor injuries while evacuating the aircraft.
Of them six had to be given first aid by the airlines. Four fire tenders were pressed into service for extinguishing the fire, airport officials said.
Air India in a statement later in the day said all passengers on board the aircraft were safe.
Meanwhile, the Directorate- General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered Air India to de-roster the maintenance engineer, who is in charge of the aircraft. An inquiry has been ordered into the incident.
