Punjab Newsline | Amritsar
An Air India passenger flight operating from Delhi to Amritsar reportedly strayed into Pakistani airspace on Monday night after experiencing a technical issue during the journey. The aircraft was alerted by Pakistan’s air traffic control and subsequently redirected back into Indian airspace.
According to airport authorities, the Airbus AI-321 departed Delhi at 9:18 PM, three minutes behind schedule, and was originally expected to land in Amritsar at 10:30 PM. During the flight, a technical malfunction allegedly caused the aircraft to deviate from its designated route and enter Pakistani airspace.
Officials said the pilot became aware of the deviation after receiving warnings from Pakistan’s air traffic authority. The aircraft then made a U-turn and returned to Indian airspace without incident.
However, by the time the flight reached Amritsar’s airspace, increased air traffic reportedly prevented an immediate landing. Air traffic controllers instructed the aircraft to return to Delhi, where it landed safely.
After receiving clearance approximately two hours later, the flight departed again for Amritsar and finally landed safely at 2:20 AM on Tuesday.
The incident resulted in a delay of nearly four hours for passengers, who were scheduled to arrive in Amritsar by 10:30 PM. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the route deviation and technical malfunction.
