CHENNAI: In a major scare at Chennai International Airport, an Etihad Airways passenger flight carrying 238 people to Abu Dhabi (including 228 passengers and 10 crew members) aborted takeoff this morning after a serious technical snag was detected mid-roll on the runway on Tuesday.
The flight, bound for Abu Dhabi (UAE), began its takeoff roll from Runway 25 at around 10:15 am. Shortly after the aircraft started moving, the pilot detected a sudden technical malfunction—later identified as a hydraulic system issue—and immediately slammed the brakes, bringing the aircraft to an emergency halt.
The swift action by the pilot helped avert what could have been a major catastrophe. Since the technical fault was spotted before the aircraft left the ground, the plane was stopped safely on the runway itself.
Immediately after the emergency stop, a team of aircraft engineers along with the airport fire service rushed to the spot and conducted an inspection. The preliminary investigation confirmed that a hydraulic problem caused the malfunction.
Following the incident, all 228 passengers were deplaned and moved to the airport’s lounges. Airline officials announced that the flight would depart late after repairs are completed. Engineering teams are currently working to fix the issue.
An airport spokesperson credited the pilot’s quick response and the early detection of the snag for preventing what could have been a tragic accident. No injuries have been reported.
The incident caused significant panic and disruption at the airport for several hours, though normal operations have since resumed.