IndiGo Flight's Harrowing Ordeal: 8,500 Ft/Min Plunge Amid Hailstorm After Pakistan Denies Airspace Access

New Delhi, May 23, 2025 — An IndiGo flight from Delhi to Srinagar, carrying over 220 passengers including Trinamool Congress MPs, faced a life-threatening crisis on May 21 when it was caught in a violent hailstorm, leading to severe turbulence and a rapid descent of 8,500 feet per minute. The aircraft, IndiGo flight 6E-2142, sustained significant damage to its nose radome, and the incident has sparked controversy after Pakistan’s Lahore Air Traffic Control (ATC) denied the pilot’s request to enter its airspace to avoid the storm.

The Airbus A321neo was cruising at 36,000 feet near Pathankot, Punjab, when it encountered a massive thunderstorm system spanning northwestern India. The pilots first sought permission from the Indian Air Force-controlled northern ATC to deviate toward the international border, but the request was denied due to heightened tensions following India’s Operation Sindoor, a retaliatory strike against terror camps in Pakistan and PoK. The crew then contacted Lahore ATC for emergency clearance to briefly enter Pakistani airspace, a common practice in aviation to ensure passenger safety during adverse weather. However, Lahore ATC refused, citing the closure of Pakistani airspace to Indian carriers after the April 24 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 civilians. With no safe detour available, the pilots considered returning to Delhi but deemed it riskier due to the proximity of the thunderstorm. Opting to navigate through the storm, the aircraft faced extreme updrafts and downdrafts, disengaging the autopilot and triggering multiple system warnings, including angle of attack faults, loss of alternate law protection, and unreliable airspeed readings. The plane’s descent rate reached a staggering 8,500 feet per minute—far exceeding the standard 1,500-3,000 feet per minute for a normal approach—causing panic among passengers. Videos circulating on social media captured terrified passengers, including children, screaming and praying as the plane shook violently, with luggage falling and flight attendants visibly distressed. “It was a near-death experience. I thought my life was over,” said Trinamool Congress MP Sagarika Ghose, one of five TMC MPs onboard, including Derek O’Brien, Nadimul Haque, Manas Bhunia, and Mamata Thakur. “Hats off to the pilots who brought us through that. When we landed, we saw the nose of the plane was blown up.” The delegation, traveling to meet families affected by cross-border shelling near the Line of Control, thanked the pilots for their professionalism. The pilots manually flew the aircraft through the storm, completing Electronic Centralised Aircraft Monitoring (ECAM) checklist actions and issuing a “PAN PAN” urgency call to Srinagar ATC. With radar assistance, the plane landed safely at Srinagar International Airport at 6:30 PM on May 21, with no injuries reported. A post-flight inspection confirmed extensive damage to the aircraft’s nose radome, likely due to large hailstones, which aviation experts note can form rapidly in thunderstorms and cause significant damage in seconds. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched a probe into the incident, with technical teams analyzing flight data and cockpit voice recordings. The aircraft (VT-IMD) remains grounded in Srinagar for repairs. The DGCA praised the pilots’ presence of mind, but the incident has raised questions about airspace restrictions amid geopolitical tensions. Posts on X condemned Pakistan’s refusal, with users calling it “shocking” and “sociopathic,” arguing that humanitarian considerations should override political disputes in emergencies. Some suggested India might reciprocate by tightening airspace policies, though no official response has been confirmed. The incident underscores the challenges of navigating restricted airspaces during adverse weather, exacerbated by ongoing India-Pakistan tensions. The storm, which also caused six deaths and widespread disruptions in Delhi-NCR, highlights the unpredictable dangers of extreme weather in aviation. As investigations continue, the focus remains on ensuring such incidents are avoided, with calls for international protocols to prioritize passenger safety over political conflicts.