New Delhi, March 19 An Akasa Air aircraft en route from Phuket to Bengaluru experienced a lightning strike on Wednesday amid adverse weather conditions and later landed safely in Chennai.
The flight, operated by a Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, landed safely in Chennai. The aircraft has been grounded for inspection.
In a statement on Thursday, the airline said that flight QP 624, operating from Phuket to Bengaluru on March 18, was diverted to Chennai due to adverse weather conditions, during which the aircraft experienced a lightning strike.
Details about the number of passengers onboard could not be ascertained.
Akasa Air said that its pilots and crew handled the situation in accordance with established safety protocols.
"Lightning strikes are a known and manageable occurrence in aviation, and aircraft are designed and certified to safely withstand them. Our teams are also well-trained to handle such situations with the highest standards of safety," the statement said.
As a precaution, the airline said that the aircraft was undergoing standard engineering checks.