IndiGo flight makes emergency landing in Varanasi after fuel leak

An IndiGo flight heading to Srinagar from Kolkata made an emergency landing at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Varanasi, on Wednesday (October 22) due to a fuel leak.

All 166 passengers safe

However, all 166 passengers and crew were safely evacuated, reported IANS. The airport authorities have initiated an investigation into the incident.

Varanasi Police said that the situation was under control, and normal operations had resumed at the airport. Varanasi Police and airport authorities said that the pilot quickly informed the Air Traffic Control (ATC) after noticing the fuel leak, reported India Today.

Will resume journey after repairs

The ATC then cleared the IndiGO aircraft for emergency landing, stated the report, adding that the pilot was able to safely bring the aircraft to the runway. The IndiGO aircraft will resume its journey following necessary inspections and repairs.

Also Read: IndiGo Delhi-Kolkata flight disrupted after lawyer’s unruly behaviour

Passengers lauded the pilot and crew for their swift action and professional handling of the situation. “The pilot and crew acted swiftly. We were safe throughout,” one passenger told reporters, as quoted by India Today.

IndiGo airctaft sufferes a cracked windshield

The incident comes days after an IndiGo flight (6E 7253) carrying 76 passengers from Madurai to Chennai experienced a windshield crack just prior to landing on October 11.

Also Read: Kolkata-bound IndiGo flight returns to Nagpur after suspected bird hit

The pilot reported the issue to air traffic control, and the aircraft landed safely at Chennai Airport before being moved to Bay 95 for further inspection and windshield replacement.

The return journey to Madurai was cancelled while the plane underwent maintenance. However, IndiGo in its statement did not mention the specific windshield crack, instead citing a “maintenance requirement.”

Bomb threat

Last month, an IndiGo flight (6E 762) travelling from Mumbai to Delhi, carrying around 200 passengers, received a bomb threat on the morning of September 30, 2025. The threat was described by authorities as non-specific, prompting airport security and airline personnel to declare a full emergency.

Also Read: IndiGo passenger accuses co-pilot of barging into toilet, airline reacts

The aircraft, an Airbus A321neo, landed safely in Delhi at about 7:53 am according to flight tracking data.

The airline stated it followed established protocols, immediately alerted the relevant authorities, cooperated fully with security checks, and offered refreshments and regular updates to passengers to manage disruption.