A video allegedly shot by a passenger and now circulating on social media shows an Air India aircraft on the tarmac, surrounded by ground staff, with apparent damage visible on one of its engines. The airline has not yet issued an official statement on the incident.
The footage has surfaced close on the heels of a recent engine-related issue involving another Air India flight, which was forced to return to Delhi mid-air while flying to Mumbai.
On the morning of December 22, an Air India flight from Delhi to Mumbai turned back about an hour after take-off due to a technical problem. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said the aircraft made an “air turn back” after the flight crew noticed low engine oil pressure in the right-hand engine during flap retraction. The aircraft, a Boeing 777, was reportedly carrying around 355 passengers.
In a brief statement, an Air India spokesperson said the crew operating flight AI887 decided to return to Delhi shortly after take-off due to a technical issue, in accordance with standard operating procedures, without sharing further details.
The DGCA later clarified that the aircraft experienced low oil pressure in Engine No. 2, following which the pressure dropped to zero. As per established procedures, the crew shut down the engine and the aircraft landed safely back in Delhi.