Indian airline officials have ordered an inquiry after a passenger plane from Dubai skidded off a runway in the southern city of Mangalore on Sunday.

The Air India Express flight carrying 183 passengers veered off the runway, but the pilot managed to steer it into a muddy patch of grass.

Airline officials have blamed “tailwind and a wet runway” for the incident.

In May 2010, 18 people died when an Air India Express flight overshot the Mangalore airport runway and crashed.

Mangalore airport lies on top of a hill with steep drops at the end of each of its two runways – known as tabletop runways.

No passengers or crew were injured in Sunday’s incident, airline officials said.

Air India Express is a subsidiary of India’s national airline, Air India.

Sunday also saw a similar incident at Surat airport in the western state of Gujarat, when a Spice Jet plane skidded on a wet runway.

Heavy rains are usual in India at this time of year, due to the seasonal monsoon.

Source: Read Full Article