Two transport aircraft pilots of Indian Air Force safely landed their Avro transport aircraft at the IAF's Agra airbase after one of the engines of the ageing aircraft caught fire mid-air, just after the take-off. The Avro airplane was at an altitude of around 250 feet, soon after it took off from the airbase with supplies. Pilots reacted quickly and safely landed the aircraft. While it is not clear if the supplies were medical equipment, IAF has been using Avro planes to transport necessary equipment to help COVID-19 Pandemic.
2 transport aircraft pilots safely landed their Avro aircraft (in pic) at Agra airbase y'day after one of its engines caught fire, at an altitude of around 250 feet, soon after it took off from the airbase with supplies. Pilots reacted quickly&safely landed the aircraft:IAF Sources pic.twitter.com/Ci49tjrLiD— ANI (@ANI) April 1, 2020
Amid the ongoing nationwide lockdown to combat COVID-19, the Indian Air Force on Wednesday said it has transported around 25 tonnes of essential medical supplies from Delhi, Surat, Chandigarh to Manipur, Nagaland and the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
The medical supplies include personal protective equipment (PPE), hand sanitiser, surgical gloves, thermal scanners, the IAF said in a statement, adding that medical personnel are also being taken from one place to another using their aircraft.
"Regular airlifting of COVID-19 test samples from the union territory of Ladakh to Delhi is also being carried. Towards this, C-17, C-130, An-32. AVRO & Dornier aircraft of the IAF are being tasked on as required basis and the IAF is adequately geared up to meet all the emerging demands," the statement noted.
India has imposed a 21-day lockdown till April 14 to curb the spread of COVID-19, and domestic and international commercial passenger flights have been suspended for this period.
With inputs from PTI.
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