Air India Express plane hits lighting pole while landing

An Air India Express flight from Doha to Vijayawada knocked down a high mast lighting pole while taxing on the runway due to a wrong turn on Saturday evening, leading to a 'minor' damage to the wing.

"While taxiing, the aircraft hit the pole there and the pole has fallen down and minor damage to the wing," Vijayawada airport director Giri Madhusudan Rao told IANS.

However, he confirmed that all the passengers were safe and evacuated, even as further investigations have been launched over the incident.

The accident occurred at 4:49 p.m., leading the airport authorities to ground the aircraft.

Rao termed the accident as a minor incident but it should be noted that the high mast lighting pole fell down due the impact with the aircraft's wing.

The airport director said Vijayawada was the arriving point for the flight where many passengers would terminate their journey while another aircraft is being arranged for some passengers to ferry them to Trichy.

The incident assumes significance as a few days back a leopard was suspected to have been sighted at the Hyderabad international airport.

Though the authorities claimed that it was not a leopard but a wild cat, a source confirmed that a leopard was indeed sighted.