Date:16/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/16/stories/2008061659761000.htm

Tamil Nadu

Indian Airbus 320 grounded in Tirupati

Special Correspondent

TIRUPATI: An Airbus 320 of Indian with 144 passengers bound for New Delhi via Hyderabad had to be grounded in the last minute following a technical snag here on Sunday.

Sources said that even as the engines whirred in full throttle on the tarmac, there was an ‘explosive noise,’ which forced the pilots to abort the take-off.

“Deafening sound”

Film actress and Andhra Pradesh women’s wing leader of the Telugu Desam Party Roja, who was on board the aircraft, said, “I heard a deafening sound, like something exploding and I saw through the window people running in panic on the tarmac. The Indian people later told us that it was only a small snag.”