Hyderabad, April 6 A large metal panel from the ceiling of an aerobridge at the Hyderabad airport fell on the head of an Air India Express passenger, causing internal injuries and leaving him disoriented and confused.
Deepak Adoni, a US citizen who came to India for work, told
"I had taken a few steps when the heavy panel fell on my head, and I instinctively grabbed the railing to steady myself, not knowing what had hit me," Adoni, 63, said on Monday.
He said a young woman behind him, Zainab Sayed, rushed to help him and screamed for help as he leaned against the wall of the aerobridge.
Help arrived about 30 minutes later, and Adoni was rushed to Apollo Hospital in an ambulance, where a CT scan showed "severe degenerative changes" in the cervical spine, "multiple disc bulges," and "minor head trauma," according to the attending doctor's report.
It is unclear whether the spinal issue was a pre-existing condition or the result of the incident.
GMR, which operates the Hyderabad airport, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Adoni said, "Initially, I was fine, but within 30 minutes, I started to feel dizzy, and in fact, I started stuttering and could not remember my name" during the admission process at Apollo.
He said, "Zainab travelled with me in the ambulance and took the time to speak with my wife in the US. She is an amazing person."
At the hospital, doctors administered an MRI in addition to the CT scan.
"Throughout the process, I could not stand, and people had to help me. At one point, when I sat down, the entire room started to spin," he said.
It is not known what caused the aluminum panel – roughly 7-8 feet in length and 2 feet wide – to dislodge and fall.
Adoni, originally from Telangana before he went to the United States about four decades ago, said an airport official stayed with him at the hospital overnight until he was discharged on Monday.
Doctors advised him to wear a neck brace and prescribed painkillers for the neck and head aches.
Adoni said he will not return to the US immediately and will monitor his condition before deciding on the next course of action.
He said this includes possible legal action against GMR.
Airport authorities said, "We sincerely regret this unfortunate incident," adding that Adoni sustained "no acute or significant injuries".
A statement said airport maintenance teams have conducted "a safety inspection of the aerobridge ceiling panels to prevent future occurrences".
"We sincerely regret this unfortunate incident, in which a panel from the false ceiling of an aerobridge hit a passenger while disembarking on Sunday afternoon."
Airport authorities and emergency medical teams immediately attended to the passenger, Deepak Adoni. To ensure his safety, he was promptly transported via ambulance to Apollo Hospital for a comprehensive medical evaluation, including an MRI, the statement said.
Hospital authorities confirmed that he sustained no acute or significant injuries from the impact. After completing all necessary observations and tests, he was medically cleared and discharged.
Airport maintenance teams have since conducted a safety inspection of the aerobridge ceiling panels to prevent future occurrences. This was an isolated instance, and we remain committed to ensuring high standards of safety and operations, the statement added.