Mangalore: Inquiry ordered after India plane skids off runway
- Published
The pilot of the Air India plane managed to steer it into a muddy patch of grass
Indian airline officials have ordered an inquiry after a passenger plane from Dubai skidded off a runway in the southern city of Mangalore on Sunday.
The Air India Express flight carrying 183 passengers veered off the runway, but the pilot managed to steer it into a muddy patch of grass.
Airline officials have blamed "tailwind and a wet runway" for the incident.
In May 2010, 158 people died when an Air India Express flight overshot the Mangalore airport runway and crashed.
Mangalore airport lies on top of a hill with steep drops at the end of each of its two runways - known as tabletop runways.
No passengers or crew were injured in Sunday's incident, airline officials said.
Air India Express is a subsidiary of India's national airline, Air India.
Sunday also saw a similar incident at Surat airport in the western state of Gujarat, when a Spice Jet plane skidded on a wet runway.
Heavy rains are usual in India at this time of year, due to the seasonal monsoon.
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