Plane from India makes hard landing in Phuket, passengers recount minutes of fear and relief

A routine morning flight from Hyderabad to Phuket turned into a test of nerves for 133 people on board after an Air India Express plane made a hard landing at the international airport in the Thai resort. The aircraft, a "Boeing 737 MAX 8", operating flight IX 938, touched the runway sharply, after which the front landing gear was damaged and part of the nose wheel structure collapsed. The plane stopped tilted to one side in the middle of the only runway at the airport, leading to a forced closure of the airport and a series of delays and diverted flights.

From "another flight" to a crash that no one will forget

The flight took off from Hyderabad early in the morning and arrived over Phuket before noon - for many passengers this was just the beginning of a long-awaited vacation. According to one of them, the journey to the final approach was completely normal - a calm cabin, sleeping people, children in front of screens, the standard announcements from the crew. Everything changes in the seconds before touching the runway.

"We felt a very strong impact, then a second - the plane literally bounced and fell again. People started screaming, children were crying, some were praying out loud," said passenger Miral Ahuja, quoted by local media. She describes how at that moment time seemed to "stretch": a few seconds of shaking, the sound of scraping on the asphalt, the smell of burning from the brakes and a tense silence, interrupted by children's crying.

Damaged nose wheel and plane stopped on the runway

According to initial information from aviation authorities and airport operators, the front part of the plane's landing gear was seriously damaged during the hard landing. The structure of the nose wheel has deviated, and the machine continued on, sliding along the runway before stopping. Photos from the scene show the "Boeing 737 MAX 8" tilted forward, with clearly visible damage to the front wheel and scattered parts on the asphalt.

Despite the dramatic picture, the airport and the airline emphasize that there were no casualties. "The fact that all 133 people - passengers and crew - get out without injuries with such damage to the undercarriage is a huge relief," comment the Thai aviation authorities.

Quiet instructions, tight crew and slow minutes until exit

Passengers describe how after the impact and the sudden stop in the cabin, there was a short silence, followed by the voices of the flight attendants, who repeated the instructions calmly but firmly. "There were shouts, but the crew remained surprisingly calm - they told us to stay in our seats, not to get up abruptly, to wait for instructions," Miral Ahuja also shares. According to her, the scariest were the minutes in which no one knew if there was a fire or additional damage.

In an official statement, "Air India Express" confirms that "the flight from Hyderabad to Phuket on March 11 encountered a problem with the nose wheel during landing at Phuket airport". "The crew followed all standard protocols and the guests were disembarked from the aircraft. We thank our guests, the authorities of Phuket airport and all partners for their assistance," the carrier's position also states.

Phuket Airport - closed, hundreds of passengers waiting

Because of the plane remaining on the runway, the authorities issue an official warning and temporarily stop landings and takeoffs. According to the operator, dozens of flights have been diverted to other airports, and hundreds of passengers - affected by delays and changes in the schedule. Plans for vacations, weddings and business meetings suddenly turn out to be dependent on how quickly the damaged machine will be pulled out.

Some planes are heading to Krabi and Bangkok, where free slots and seats for passengers are being sought. Additional waiting areas are being opened at Phuket airport, water is being distributed, and employees are trying to explain the situation to people who have been following the board with canceled and postponed flights for hours. According to local authorities, the runway remains closed for several hours while the plane is being pulled out and the area is checked for damage.

Investigation and inevitable questions

Indian and Thai aviation authorities are already working together to clarify the causes of the incident - from the meteorological conditions at the time of landing to the technical condition of the aircraft and the actions of the crew. "The fact that there were no casualties does not mean that we can ignore what happened. On the contrary - we need to understand why a routine landing ended with a damaged nose wheel and a closed airport," comment experts from the aviation sector.

For the passengers, however, the most important fact is already clear - everyone is alive. "At one point, I thought this might be the end. And then, when I stepped on the runway and saw the children smiling again, everything else seemed secondary," adds Miral Ahuja. For the crew and airport staff, the day ends with fatigue and adrenaline, and for aviation - with a reminder of how thin the line is between routine and emergency.