Visakhapatnam: A wild boar hist a Hyderabad-bound IndiGo aircraft that was carrying nearly 100 passengers and crew during take off at 10.30 pm on Sunday. Sources said that the wild boar appeared on the runway just as the aircraft was taking off. With no chance of avoid, the pilot continued the aborting take-off run. Sources said that once in the air, the pilot noticed that the wheels had failed to retract.
The pilot returned to Visakhapatnam and flew in a pattern around the city to burn up as much fuel as possible and landed back at the airport safely. The pilot and engineers inspected the aicraft and confirmed that there was no damage. They reportedly removed a small piece of flesh stuck in the wheel well which prevented the wheels from retracting. The flight finally took off at about 1 am. This was first time that a wild boar entered the airport, which is under the control of the Eastern Naval Command, sources said. The Airports Authority of India and Vizag airport officials have requested the district administration and forest department to track down a wild boar suspected to be hiding in the thick vegetation in the vicinity of the airport recently.
