'Heart-stopping moment': Congress MP KC Venugopal claims 'another aircraft was on same runway'; Air India responds

New Delhi: An Air India flight from Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi, carrying passengers including senior Congress leader KC Venugopal and other Members of Parliament, was diverted to Chennai after suspected technical issue.

Describing the journey as "harrowing", Venugopal said on X, "We were saved by skill and luck. Passenger safety cannot depend on luck".

He also urged the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) India and Ministry of Civil Aviation to investigate the incident urgently and fix accountability while ensuring that such lapses never recur.

"Air India flight AI 2455 from Trivandrum to Delhi -- carrying myself, several MPs, and hundreds of passengers -- came frighteningly close to a tragedy today," Venugopal said.

He said, "What began as a delayed departure turned into a harrowing journey. Shortly after take-off, we were hit by unprecedented turbulence. About an hour later, the Captain announced a flight signal fault and diverted to Chennai".

"For nearly two hours, we circled the airport awaiting clearance to land, until a heart-stopping moment during our first attempt-- another aircraft was reportedly on the same runway. In that split second, the Captain’s quick decision to pull up saved every life on board. The flight landed safely on the second attempt," the Alappuzha MP said.

He added, "We were saved by skill and luck. Passenger safety cannot depend on luck. I urge @DGCAIndia and @MoCA_GoI to investigate this incident urgently, fix accountability, and ensure such lapses never happen again".

However, refuting the claims, the airlines responded to his post:

"Dear Mr Venugopal, we would like to clarify that the diversion to Chennai was precautionary due to a suspected technical issue and poor weather conditions. A go-around was instructed by Chennai ATC during the first attempted landing at Chennai airport, not because of the presence of another aircraft on the runway. Our pilots are well-trained to handle such situations, and in this case, they followed standard procedures throughout the flight. We understand that such an experience can be unsettling and regret the inconvenience the diversion may have caused to you. However, safety is always our priority. Thank you for your understanding."