Three Air Incidents: lucknow Landing Scare After Kedarnath and Ahmedabad Crash

Keshav Neemwal

2 months ago

Lucknow, June 15, 2025 – A Saudi Airlines flight carrying over 250 pilgrims from Jeddah landed in Lucknow with visible sparks and smoke coming from its wheels. While the situation was quickly brought under control and no injuries were reported, the event comes just days after two other aviation-related accidents in Ahmedabad and Kedarnath.

Three Days, Three Air Incidents: India’s Sky Turns Into a Scene of Shock and Thoughtfulness
June 16, 2525 – It began just as every other week. But what happened between June 11 and June 15 will be imprinted in India’s aviation history—not for records broken but rather for hearts broken, prayers said, and questions answered

First arrived the Kedarnath Helicopter Crash.

Six individuals, including a committed pilot, were on their way to the revered temple of Kedarnath—one of the holiest sites in India—on the peaceful morning of June 11. Just minutes from landing, their helicopter—carrying hopes, gifts, and spiritual commitment—sunk close to Garudchatti.

The mountains, famed for challenging both nature’s constraints and loyalty, were covered in fog and erratic temperature. While locals hurried to assist, it was too late.

They left in search of blessings. Who else knew God would call them instead? stated a local villager who saw the crash, Ankit Rawa

And Then Ahmedabad Faced the Unthinkable.

One day later, on June 12, catastrophe turned horrifically different.
Shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport, Air India Flight AI-171, which carried approximately 240 passengers, crashed. Witnesses report the large aircraft “tilted unnaturally” before it vanished from the skyline. It lost control. It fell in a semi-populated area, devastating buildings and houses close to the collision point.
274 deaths were claimed.
Emergency services operated nonstop pulling out remains. Families stood outside hospitals, clinging to hope that vanished with every hour.
The government has launched a national-level investigation, involving the DGCA, Boeing, and international aviation safety boards, trying to uncover what led to such a massive failure.

Just When We Thought It Couldn’t Get Worse happened in Lucknow.

Just three days later, on June 15, a Saudia Airlines flight bearing 252 returning Hajj pilgrims from Jeddah made an emergency landing in Lucknow as the country was still in mourning.
Sparks and smoke burst from the wheels touching the runway. It felt to the passengers as death was knocking once more.
I saw this as the end. From under the floor, smoke emerged. Rehana Siddiqui, a 56-year-old pilgrim from Bareilly, quietly closed her eyes and prayed.
Thankfully, no one was harmed, and all passengers were safely evacuated. But the emotional scars remain. It was another close call, in a week already filled with heartache.

What’s Going On With India’s Skies?

Three serious aviation incidents in just five days. It’s no wonder social media exploded with hashtags like #IndiaFlightCrisis and #FlySafeIndia.

Here’s the quick breakdown:

🕊️ June 11 – Kedarnath Helicopter Crash: 6 lives lost
🕊️ June 12 – Ahmedabad Air India Crash: 274 lives lost
🛬 June 15 – Saudia Airlines Lucknow Landing Issue: 252 safe, but emotional trauma
🧾 Total fatalities in these incidents: 280

Even though the Lucknow incident didn’t take any lives, it reignited the fear, especially among elderly travelers and pilgrims.

According to aviation analyst Rakesh Tandon, the timing is critical:

We’re in the middle of the Hajj return period and pilgrimage season. Add monsoon to that, and we have a complex, high-risk aviation window.”

The DGCA has already issued emergency inspections for all charter planes, helicopters on pilgrimage routes, and commercial aircraft flying during monsoon-prone schedules.

No Panic, But Caution Is the Need of the Hour

Officials and professionals advise people not to start to panic. Flying is statistically among the safest means of transportation. But what this week has taught is that, particularly when lives are on line, vigilance, proper maintenance, and real-time weather monitoring must be given more thought.

Final Thought: Let’s Mourn, Reflect, and Push for Better Safety

These few days have shown us how delicate life can be—even at 30,000 feet. Remembering the 280 individuals lost calls for both public and governmental questions about what more might be done to ensure every flight is safe?