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New Delhi: An IndiGo flight from Kanpur to Delhi was delayed by nearly three hours on Sunday after a rat was spotted inside the aircraft, creating panic among passengers and crew. The flight was grounded as a precautionary measure and all passengers were deboarded and shifted to the airport lounge.
The flight, which had arrived from Delhi at 2.10 pm, was scheduled to depart for Delhi at 2.55 pm. However, before take-off, a crew member and some passengers noticed a rat moving around in the cabin. The sighting triggered panic, particularly among women passengers, before the crew managed to calm the situation. The 172 passengers on board the 189-seater aircraft were then escorted off for safety reasons.
Passengers expressed frustration over the delay, but airport officials clarified that the flight could not be cleared until the rat was caught and the aircraft declared safe. Technical staff and ground crew carried out an intensive search of the aircraft, and after nearly three hours of effort, the rat was captured.
Kanpur Airport Director Sanjay Kumar said immediate action was taken as soon as the presence of the rat was reported. The maintenance team thoroughly inspected the aircraft and only after ensuring safety was the flight cleared for departure.
The aircraft eventually departed for Delhi at 6.04 pm with 111 passengers on board. Some passengers chose to reschedule their travel, while others cancelled their tickets. IndiGo apologised for the inconvenience and assured that measures would be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.
