Pakistan Denied IndiGo Pilot’s Request to Enter Airspace amid Mid-Air Emergency, Flight Forced Through Storm

The IndiGo flight from Delhi to Srinagar, carrying 227 passengers, including a five-member Trinamool Congress delegation, encountered a sudden and severe hailstorm, prompting what several passengers described as a "near-death experience." The aircraft, operating as flight 6E 2142, was flying over Amritsar when the pilot detected turbulent weather ahead. In a bid to avoid the worst of the storm, he reached out to Lahore Air Traffic Control (ATC) seeking temporary clearance to enter Pakistani airspace. The request, however, was denied.

This comes in the wake of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following a terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed at least 26 lives. Both countries have since closed their respective airspaces to each other’s commercial airlines.

With no alternative route available, the aircraft was forced to continue along its original flight path, where it encountered severe turbulence. Despite the difficult conditions, the pilot managed to land the aircraft safely at Srinagar International Airport.

IndiGo confirmed the incident in a statement saying, "Flight 6E 2142 from Delhi to Srinagar on 21 May 2025 navigated a sudden hailstorm and landed safely at Srinagar International Airport. All customers were attended to upon landing and no injuries were reported. The aircraft is currently undergoing necessary inspection and maintenance in Srinagar and will resume operations once all clearances have been secured." The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has since launched an investigation into the incident.

Among the passengers were Trinamool Congress MPs Derek O’Brien, Nadimul Haque, Sagarika Ghose, Manas Bhunia, and Mamata Thakur. Describing the terrifying ordeal, Ghose said, "It was a near-death experience. I thought my life was over. People were screaming, praying and panicking." She praised the pilot’s handling of the situation, adding,
"Hats off to the pilot who brought us through that. When we landed, we saw the nose of the plane had blown up."​