‘Minor spark, no major fire’: Chennai Airport issues clarification after reports of fire in cargo plane engine

Chennai International Airport issued a clarification on Tuesday after reports of a fire in the engine of an international cargo plane during landing. The aircraft, arriving from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, experienced a minor spark and smoke in its fourth engine while touching down at the airport.

According to airport authorities, the spark and smoke may have been caused by oil dirt, residues, or similar factors. “There was no major fire in the engine while landing. There was a minor spark and smoke in the engine, which may be due to oil dirt, residues, etc. The aircraft didn’t suffer any damage,” the airport authority said in a statement.

Officials confirmed that the pilots had informed ground staff about the incident during landing, and the plane was brought to a complete stop without any emergency procedure being initiated. The aircraft remained on the ground for technical inspection following the incident.

The airport authority stated that the matter had been “blown out of proportion” and requested media outlets to confirm information with the Office of the Airport Director before publication to prevent unnecessary alarm among passengers.

In a separate incident on Sunday, a Delhi-bound Air India flight from Thiruvananthapuram was diverted to Chennai after an aborted first landing attempt in Delhi due to suspected foreign debris on the runway. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said the diversion was also due to a suspected malfunction of the aircraft’s weather radar. The flight landed safely in Chennai.