Pune Airport Reopens After IAF Aircraft Snag Halts Runway Overnight

The incident took place late on Friday at around 10:25 P.M., when the technical snag rendered the runway completely unusable, forcing authorities to halt all flight movements temporarily. Despite the disruption, officials confirmed that the crew on board the aircraft remained safe and no injuries were reported in the incident.

Following the disruption, repair and clearance work was undertaken on priority through the night to restore normalcy. After ensuring all safety protocols, departure flights resumed from 7:30 A.M. on Saturday, while arrival operations recommenced from 8:00 A.M., officials added.

Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol also addressed the situation, confirming the incident through a social media post. He noted that air traffic in Pune is "expected to gradually return to normal over the course of the day."

The Indian Air Force had earlier stated that the runway at Pune airport was temporarily unavailable following the incident involving one of its aircraft, adding that restoration efforts were already underway.

"Pune runway is temporarily unavailable due to an incident involving an IAF aircraft. The aircrew are safe, and there is no damage to civil property," the force said in a statement shared on social media.

"Efforts are underway to operationalise the runway and resume normal operations at the earliest," it added.

According to inputs from the IAF Air Traffic Control, it was initially estimated that it would take approximately four to five hours to remove the obstruction and restore normal flight operations.

During this period, the runway remained completely unavailable, impacting scheduled services until the situation was brought under control.

- IANS