Patna: For passengers aboard IndiGo flight 6E925 from Patna to Lucknow on Wednesday, a routine journey turned frightening when the aircraft began shaking violently at around 17,000 feet. Passengers screamed, children cried and several began praying as the aircraft appeared to lose altitude before rising again.Among those on board was Gopal Rai, national president of Vishwa Hindu Raksha Parishad, who described it as one of the most frightening experiences of his 25 years of air travel.The flight took off from Patna around 3.10pm. Rai said the journey was normal for nearly 30 minutes before the aircraft entered a dark cloud formation. “There was suddenly a very strong and frightening jerk. The aircraft appeared to go down and then rise again. At that moment, we thought something had gone seriously wrong with the engine or the aircraft,” Rai said on Thursday.“We felt this could be the last day of our lives. Everyone was frightened. Children were crying and we were sitting there remembering God,” he said.Rai said the aircraft later stabilised, but passengers remained anxious. He said a cabin crew member told him she too had been frightened and could not immediately explain what had happened.Rai said the pilot later told passengers he had never experienced anything similar in his 25 years of flying. Passengers were unaware that the aircraft’s nose had been damaged.After landing at Lucknow, the aircraft’s nose radome was found damaged and the plane was grounded for technical inspection.LJP functionary Rajesh Kumar Bhatt, also on the flight, said the aircraft jerked violently three or four times and appeared to lose altitude. “As soon as I set foot on the ground, I felt as if God had given me a rebirth,” he said.The flight, carrying 104 passengers and six crew members, landed safely around 4.04pm, ahead of schedule. All passengers and crew were safe.
