East Delhi wakes up to an unplanned air show

On Sunday morning, large crowd gathered at DDA park in east Delhi’s Shastri Park area after an Indian Air Force (IAF) microlite aircraft made an emergency landing at around 10.28 am. Neither the two pilots on board received injuries nor the aircraft got any damage.

The aircraft belonged to the Air Wing of National Cadets Corps and had taken off from Hindon air base in Ghaziabad to keep a check on the activities of the birds flying in the sky specifically around the airbase. The check was being carried out as the full dress rehearsal of the 81st IAF Day parade, including the flypast, was in full swing.

While flying in the area, the pilot suspected some technical problem in the engine of the aircraft. To avoid any accident, the pilot made emergency landing in the DDA park. Soon after the plane landed, the local people gathered to have a look at the unusual craft and the unusual air show.

On hearing of the huge assembly in area, which is otherwise also classified as a sensitive locality, Delhi police officials were deployed to ensure the law and order situation. ‘Also, to make sure that the crowd did not harm the aircraft,’ a police official said. 

When news of the precautionary landing was received by the Hindon base, technicians reached the spot and repaired the fault. After a thorough check up and approval the plane perfect to fly, the aircraft was flown back to the Hindon air base.