A renowned British author, William Dalrymple, has claimed a plane that was forced into an emergency landing after a suspected fire broke out was 'faulty' before it took off.
The Air India flight from Khajuraho to Delhi was already delayed after engineers worked to repair a fault on the aircraft.
And as the plane began to descend, 'sparks at the nose wheel' caused the pilot to radio ahead for emergency vehicles to be on standby at Delhi airport.
Dalrymple then told the TV news station that after all the passengers had collected their luggage, they were informed the plane was in fact not cancelled and would resume the journey.
The 50-year-old, who has lived in India on and off since 1989, explained how he had talked with an engineer and off-duty Air India fireman who told him that in light of the hydraulic fault, it was 'the wrong decision to take off.'
The engineer then prayed on the plane, 'the whole way through,' added Dalrymple, and he was certain the under-carriage was 'on fire.'
Although Mr Dalrymple says he couldn't see the flames himself as he was the last one out onto the tarmac, he says he smelt smoke.
'According to this gentleman who actually works for Air India, had the flames actually reached the passenger corridor, it would have been a 'full emergency,' and and it would have been as bad as it possible could have been, we'd have been roasted alive.'
On landing, several of the 146 passengers on board suffered cuts and bruises. Mr Dalrymple claims the pilots shouted 'Mayday, Mayday,' as the plane was evacuated.
08/09/15 John Hutchinson/Mail Online
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The Air India flight from Khajuraho to Delhi was already delayed after engineers worked to repair a fault on the aircraft.
And as the plane began to descend, 'sparks at the nose wheel' caused the pilot to radio ahead for emergency vehicles to be on standby at Delhi airport.
Dalrymple then told the TV news station that after all the passengers had collected their luggage, they were informed the plane was in fact not cancelled and would resume the journey.
The 50-year-old, who has lived in India on and off since 1989, explained how he had talked with an engineer and off-duty Air India fireman who told him that in light of the hydraulic fault, it was 'the wrong decision to take off.'
The engineer then prayed on the plane, 'the whole way through,' added Dalrymple, and he was certain the under-carriage was 'on fire.'
Although Mr Dalrymple says he couldn't see the flames himself as he was the last one out onto the tarmac, he says he smelt smoke.
'According to this gentleman who actually works for Air India, had the flames actually reached the passenger corridor, it would have been a 'full emergency,' and and it would have been as bad as it possible could have been, we'd have been roasted alive.'
On landing, several of the 146 passengers on board suffered cuts and bruises. Mr Dalrymple claims the pilots shouted 'Mayday, Mayday,' as the plane was evacuated.
08/09/15 John Hutchinson/Mail Online
