Mid-air scare: IndiGo Delhi–Goa flight makes emergency landing in Mumbai after engine glitch

In a dramatic mid-air development, an IndiGo flight from Delhi to Goa was forced to make an emergency landing at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) on July 16 night after pilots detected a technical snag in one of the aircraft’s engines.

The Airbus A320neo, operating as Flight 6E 6271 and carrying 191 passengers and crew members, landed safely at 9:53 pm after issuing a “PAN PAN PAN” call — an internationally recognized radio distress signal that signals urgency without indicating immediate danger to life.

The aircraft had taken off from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport and was approximately 100 nautical miles north of Bhubaneswar when the anomaly was reported. The flight crew, following standard safety protocols, opted to divert to Mumbai at around 9:32 pm.

Within minutes, CSMIA declared a full-scale emergency at 9:35 pm. Firefighting units and an ambulance were deployed and remained on standby as the flight touched down. The emergency status was lifted five minutes after landing, once the aircraft taxied safely to its parking bay.

“The aircraft landed safely at 21:52 hours. The complete emergency was cancelled at 21:57 hours. All passengers were safely disembarked and attended to by terminal personnel,” a CSMIA spokesperson confirmed. Notably, regular airport operations remained unaffected during the incident.

IndiGo later released a statement on July 17 confirming the diversion: “A technical snag was noticed on flight 6E 6271 during flight from Delhi to Manohar International Airport, Goa, on 16 July 2025. Following protocol, the flight was diverted and landed in Mumbai.”

The airline assured that all passengers and crew were safe and that alternate arrangements were underway for passengers to continue their journey to Goa. The affected aircraft will undergo a thorough technical inspection before being cleared for service.

Airport officials added that the terminal operations team had been on standby throughout the evening, ensuring smooth coordination and support during the emergency response.

This incident adds to growing concerns around mid-air technical issues in commercial aviation, even as airlines and regulators continue to tighten protocols and emphasize safety across operations.