Mid-air scare as Goa-Pune SpiceJet flight's window pane dislodges inside, but cabin pressure holds
Mandar Sawant, a passenger on the flight, told The Indian Express, 'I was travelling back from Goa to Pune after attending an event. A woman was sitting behind me and she was with a baby. Half an hour after takeoff, the window (close to her) just popped out. The woman got scared and it was damn concerning. There is a protective layer behind the window that protects us from the elements outside, and it was intact, but it is still concerning. This is not done.'
He added, 'The flight attendants tried to calm us down, but what else will they even do? They moved the woman and her child to a different seat behind. The stewardess did manage to somewhat get the window back on, but any sudden movement and it probably would have fallen off again.'
The flight, scheduled for 5.20 pm on June 1, departed an hour and a half late at 6.55 pm. 'We got to know at the airport that the flight was delayed the previous day as well due to 'technical issues',' said Sawant, and that he did not get any message or update from the airline that the flight was delayed.
A SpiceJet spokesperson shared a statement with The Indian Express that said, 'A cosmetic window frame on one of SpiceJet's Q400 aircraft became loose during flight and was found dislodged. It is important to note that this was a non-structural trim component, fitted onto the window for the purpose of shade, and did not compromise the safety or integrity of the aircraft in any way. Cabin pressurisation remained normal throughout the flight, and there was no impact on passenger safety.'
'The Q400 aircraft is equipped with multiple layers of window panes, including a robust, pressure-bearing outer pane, ensuring that passenger safety is never at risk, even in the unlikely event of a superficial or cosmetic component coming loose. The frame was fixed upon landing at the next station, in accordance with standard maintenance procedures,' the statement added.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
4 hours ago
- Hans India
Winners of State-level Photojournalism Contest Announced in Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Aug. 6: The results of the state-level press photography competition organised as part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Dakshina Kannada Working Journalists' Association were announced here. Eerappa Naikar, photojournalist with Kannada Prabha, Hubballi, bagged the first prize for his entry. The second prize went to M.S. Basavanna of Kannada Prabha, Mysuru, while Udayashankar, Principal Photographer of The Indian Express, Mysuru, secured the third prize. Two entries received special jury mentions—photographs by senior photojournalist M.S. Manjunath and Indrakumar Dastenavar, both from Prajavani, Bengaluru. The awards will be presented later today during the Golden Jubilee inaugural ceremony of the journalists' association at the Kudmul Ranga Rao Town Hall in Mangaluru. The competition focused on the news photography category. The award details are as follows: First Prize: ₹10,000 and a plaque Second Prize: ₹5,000 and a plaque Third Prize: ₹3,000 and a plaque The results were announced in a press release by Satish Ira, convenor of the photography competition.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Indian Express
6 tiger cubs born to Royal Bengal tigress at Delhi zoo after several failed breeding attempts
Six tiger cubs were born at the National Zoological Park in New Delhi to Royal Bengal tigress Aditi on Monday, officials said. Their births come after two failed breeding attempts and weeks of monitoring. Aditi, which is around seven to eight years old and was brought from the Gorewada Rescue Centre in Nagpur in 2021, was earlier paired with Royal Bengal tigers Karan and then Hari, but both attempts were unsuccessful. 'After repeated attempts, the successful mating on April 21 is the result of persistent efforts under the zoo's breeding programme,' said Dr Abhijit Bhawal, the zoo's veterinarian. He added that the confirmation of Aditi's pregnancy came from the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Pune, on May 26. Following the confirmation, Aditi was kept under close observation, and other tigers sharing her enclosure were shifted to a different cell. The tigress gave birth to the cubs between 9 am and 11 am at the zoo. The 48 hours after the cubs' birth are crucial, zoo authorities told The Indian Express. 'This is her first litter. She has given six live cubs and is taking care of them. Constant 24-hour monitoring through CCTV and the deployment of dedicated staff in shifts are in place,' said Dr Sanjeet Kumar, Director, National Zoological Park, New Delhi. In 2023, five Royal Bengal tiger cubs were born to Aditi's sister Siddhi at the zoo, and two of them survived. It was for the first time in 18 years that a golden Royal Bengal tigress gave birth at the Delhi zoo. With the number of big cats growing, officials said they were planning to expand the animals' enclosures. After Aditi's pregnancy was confirmed, construction work that had already begun was paused to avoid stress to the mother. The Delhi zoo is a participating institution in the coordinated conservation breeding programme for Royal Bengal tigers, with a focus on ensuring genetic diversity through animal exchange between institutions. White tiger cubs Avni and Vyom, also fathered by Vijay, were also previously released for public viewing. Their births also marked a major milestone in the zoo's breeding programme, coming after a seven-year gap. With Aditi's cubs, the tiger population has now risen significantly in the Delhi zoo, which already had 13 tigers, six of them white-coated.
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Indian Express
Mystery of African Mahogany G20 sapling at Delhi's Nehru Park solved — it's a substitute
The tree currently standing at the site marked for Nigeria in the G20 ceremonial plantation spot at Delhi's Nehru Park is a substitute sapling — and not the original African Mahogany — government sources told The Indian Express. According to sources, the original sapling, gifted by Nigeria during India's G20 presidency in 2023, failed after being planted. Following this, sources said, the Jamun, a common Indian species, was temporarily planted to maintain the aesthetics of the ceremonial zone. Sources added that a replacement African Mahogany sapling has now been sourced and is expected to arrive in the national capital shortly. It will be planted at the designated site, replacing the current one. The clarification comes days after a post on social media platform X, by citizen-led handle DelhiTrees, flagged the tree labelled as African Mahogany as resembling a Jamun. The post received over 28 lakh views, prompting questions about how the mismatch occurred and whether due diligence was carried out. The Indian Express on July 31 had reported that officials in the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), which facilitated logistics for the plantation event, said that confirmation of plant species would require expert verification and that they had referred the matter to the Ministry of External Affairs, which had coordinated the drive. The ceremonial plantation, which took place in September 2023, involved planting live saplings received as gifts from G20 member countries and invited international organisations. As per government sources, some of these plants were sent to India by participating countries, while others were locally procured in mutual consultation. The selection of species was made with expert guidance to increase the survivability of saplings in Indian conditions. For plants brought from abroad, sources said, the required quarantine period was completed at the ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) in Pusa, Delhi, before plantation. Following the Summit, the ambassadors and representatives from each country or organisation planted their respective saplings at a designated area in Nehru Park, which had been prepared in advance by horticulture officials. Sources said it was anticipated that some saplings might not survive after being planted in a new climate. To prepare for this, alternate saplings of local Indian varieties, such as mango or jamun, had been identified and kept ready. These were to be used in case of any losses, until the original species could be sourced again. According to the sources, the saplings presented by South Korea and South Africa also did not survive post-plantation. This, they said, was within expected parameters. In such cases, embassies were approached to provide suitable replacements — either from their own country or procured locally with their approval. In the interim, substitute Indian tree saplings were planted to keep the plantation site visually consistent. The South Korean Embassy has already provided a replacement of the original species, and that tree was replanted before the onset of the monsoon, sources said. The South African High Commission is also in the process of securing its replacement sapling, which will be planted once available. The G20 ceremonial plantation featured 17 trees representing participating countries and organisations, selected for their symbolism and environmental significance. These included Olive trees from Turkey, Spain and Italy; Real Yellowwood from South Africa; Silver Tree from South Korea; Date Palm from Egypt and Saudi Arabia; Teak from Indonesia; Camphor Laurel from China; and the Sausage Tree and Red Frangipani from the African Union.
