SpiceJet Airlines
Representational Image.Reuters

Information Minister of Karnataka Roshan Baig along with 76 other passengers had a providential escape after the Bengaluru-Hubballi SpiceJet aircraft skidded off the runway at the Hubballi airport on Sunday evening.

The aircraft had hovered over the airport for about 20 minutes due to bad weather before landing at the airport. Even as it was landing, a deflated tyre led the aircraft to skid off the runway for about 50 metres from the tarmac before coming to a halt.

Hubballi Police Commissioner Ravindra Prasad said that no passenger was injured, according to The Hindu. 

Passengers were all praise for the pilot for handling the situation deftly.

"The pilot had announced that the landing would be delayed because of bad weather. We hovered around for 20 minutes before the landing. It was rough landing and the plane started shaking. We thought the pilot had almost lost control, but he managed to save us all," Baig told the daily.

Besides Baig, three judges of the Karnataka High Court – B.S. Patil, Manohar and Ratnamala  – and MLC Mahantesh Kavatagimath were also travelling in the aircraft.

"Sanjay Saxena was the pilot and Karthik Swami was the co-pilot. His announcements made us feel that there will not be any problem and that only the landing would be delayed. And we stayed calm," Kavatagimath said. 

A probe into the matter will be conducted by DGCA authorities.

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