‘Danger’ warning: Air India Express flight forced to return to Kochi after engine issue

An Air India Express flight from Kochi to Abu Dhabi was forced to turn back shortly after take-off on August 31 after the crew detected a rapid fall in the oil quantity of one of the aircraft's engines, news agency ANI reported.

The Boeing 737 was operating flight IX 415 and had been in the air for around 50 minutes when the pilots noticed the problem. The aircraft was flying at an altitude of 36,000 feet at the time.

Crew shuts down engine after warning

The crew carried out a FORDEC assessment as the oil quantity continued to fall. With the situation not improving, the pilots decided to abandon the Abu Dhabi-bound flight and return to Kochi.

Sources said Engine 1 was later shut down after its oil pressure entered the danger zone.

The aircraft subsequently landed safely at Cochin International Airport. There were no reports of any issue during the landing.

Another Air India Express flight diverted

The incident comes as another Air India Express flight was recently diverted because of a technical issue.

A flight travelling from Varanasi to Delhi was diverted to Lucknow as a precaution, according to the airline. Air India Express said the crew took the decision keeping passenger safety in mind.

“The aircraft landed safely, and all guests were provided refreshments upon arrival,” an Air India Express spokesperson said.

The airline said an alternate flight was being arranged on priority to take the passengers to Delhi.

The two incidents come amid recent flight disruptions involving the airline over technical and operational issues.