Heat from radioactive cargo, Capt seeks landing 'on priority'

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New Delhi, September 16

High temperature caused by a sealed radioactive consignment stowed in cargo hold of the aircraft forced an Air India plane with 72 passengers on board seek priority lading at Nagpur this morning.

AI Denies charge

No priority landing was sought. After landing, high temperature from cargo hold was reported. It was caused by a sealed consignment of radioactive material. — Air India Spokesperson

“Air India A320 aircraft flight VT-EXB operating flight AIC627 (Mumbai-Nagpur) requested priority landing at Nagpur due to high temperature in cargo hold. Aircraft landed safely. There was radioactive material on board,” a top DGCA official told the media.

An Air India spokesperson, however, denied that priority landing was sought by the aircraft.

“No priority landing was sought. After landing, high temperature from cargo hold was reported. It was caused by a sealed consignment of radioactive material. The consignment is offloaded and accepted by the consignee. After necessary clearance from regulatory authorities, AI 628 took off from Nagpur and reached Mumbai at 1.30 pm,” the spokesperson said.

As per rules, if dangerous goods classified as “radioactive material” are to be carried in any aircraft to, from or within India, the operator shall ensure that the consignor or the consignee, as the case may be, has a written consent of the Central Government to carry such goods under Section 16 of the Atomic Energy Act, 1962.

The nature of the radioactive cargo aboard the Air India flight is not immediately known.

Evidently, the aircraft was thoroughly examined for possible traces of contamination before being given the clearance for take-off. While the flight’s scheduled departure from Nagpur was 7.55 am, it finally left for Mumbai after a delay of at least four hours.