Disaster averted at Mumbai airport

Mumbai: A major disaster was averted on Wednesday night at the Mumbai airport, when the pilot of an Air India cargo plane spotted fire raging in a consignment that was to be loaded onto the aircraft.
Preliminary investigation showed the consignment contained matchboxes and incense sticks, categorised by the aviation industry as “dangerous goods”.
“I am terrified and shocked. Think what could have happened? The time the fire was detected, the aircraft would have been airborne. This needs to be properly investigated,” Captain AK Malhotra, commander of the aircraft, told Hindustan Times.
Minutes before the flight’s takeoff — it was scheduled for 11.30 pm, but was delayed — the shipment lying close to the plane caught fire at 11.42 pm. The crew that noticed the fire found no commercial personnel near the aircraft.
Captain Malhotra said the rules stipulated that the pilot of the aircraft should be informed about the presence of the consignment of dangerous goods. But he knew nothing about the presence of such a consignment.
He said he would not fly the aircraft until he gets satisfactory explanation from the management.
28/08/09 Lalatendu Mishra/Hindustan Times

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Categories: Airports Aug 2009, Cargo Aug 2009, NACIL Aug 2009, Safety Aug 2009