Flight operations at Pune airport came to a sudden halt late on Friday night after an incident involving an Indian Air Force aircraft forced the closure of the runway, reported TOI.

The disruption began around 11pm, bringing landings and take-offs to a standstill and causing widespread inconvenience to passengers.

At least 32 incoming flights from different cities were either diverted or cancelled, while a similar number of departures were cancelled or delayed.

The IAF confirmed in an official statement on X that the 2,535-metre-long and 45-metre-wide runway was temporarily unavailable following the incident. The statement assured that the aircrew were safe and that no civil property had been damaged.

It added that efforts were underway to operationalise the runway and restore normal operations as quickly as possible. Defence sources indicated that the aircraft involved was a Sukhoi Su-30MKI, though the IAF did not officially confirm the type.

Pune airport director Santosh Dhoke explained that the fighter jet had suffered an undercarriage failure after a hard landing at around 10.25pm, leaving it stranded in the middle of the runway.

He said cranes and heavy machinery had been deployed to move the aircraft to the taxiway, estimating that it would take four to five hours to clear the runway. Defence PRO Ankush Chavan echoed this assessment, stating that civil aircraft movements would not be possible for five to six hours.

IAF spokesperson Wing Commander Jaideep Singh did not respond to calls, while another senior officer noted that the exact cause of the incident would only be determined after a formal court of inquiry.

Dhoke added that the runway surface was under IAF control and that details of any damage were not yet available. Civil flight operations, he stressed, would resume only after clearance was given.

Union minister of state for civil aviation and Pune MP Murlidhar Mohol confirmed the disruption and said he was in constant touch with both airport and Air Force authorities to ensure an early resolution. 

Meanwhile, passengers faced considerable confusion and frustration at the airport. Agha Meesam Hyder, scheduled to fly to Bhopal on an IndiGo flight at 1am, described the situation as chaotic.

He said airlines were advising passengers either to cancel their journeys and take full refunds or to wait until 1.30am. According to Hyder, IndiGo officially informed passengers around 11.45pm that the runway was not operational due to a problem involving an aircraft.

TOI