Air India Express aircraft diverted for emergency landing

An Air India Express flight from Jeddah to Kozhikode made an emergency landing at Kochi airport in Kerala on Thursday morning (December 18, 2025) after pilots detected a technical problem involving the right main landing gear and tyres.

The aircraft, operating as flight IX 398 and carrying 160 passengers, diverted to Kochi and landed safely at 9.07 a.m. under full emergency conditions, sources said. Airport authorities activated all emergency services as a precaution.

Officials confirmed that no passengers or crew members sustained injuries. A post-landing inspection revealed that both tyres on the right side of the aircraft had burst.

Authorities cleared the runway after completing safety checks, and airport operations have since resumed. More updates are awaited.

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The aircraft touched down safely at 9.07 a.m. under controlled conditions. Officials confirmed that all passengers and crew disembarked safely, and no injuries were reported.

A post-landing technical inspection revealed that both tyres on the right-side landing gear had burst. Engineers conducted a detailed safety assessment before clearing the runway for normal operations. Airport authorities later confirmed that flight movements resumed without disruption.

Air India Express officials said the diversion followed standard safety protocols and praised the flight crew for handling the situation effectively. Further investigation into the cause of the tyre failure is underway, and more updates are expected.

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