Watch: SpiceJet flight makes emergency landing in Delhi after smoke fills cabin

A SpiceJet flight was forced to return to Delhi after smoke filled the cabin mid-air (Image credit: ANI/Twitter)

A SpiceJet flight made an emergency landing in Delhi today after crew members observed smoke in the cabin. The flight, operating from Delhi to Jabalpur, was reportedly at an altitude of 5,000 feet when smoke started filling the cabin.

Footage shared by news agency ANI shows passengers fanning themselves as smoke filled the cabin.

"A SpiceJet aircraft operating from Delhi to Jabalpur returned safely to the Delhi airport today morning after the crew noticed smoke in the cabin while passing 5000ft; passengers safely disembarked," a SpiceJet spokesperson confirmed to ANI.

#WATCH | A SpiceJet aircraft operating from Delhi to Jabalpur returned safely to the Delhi airport today morning after the crew noticed smoke in the cabin while passing 5000ft; passengers safely disembarked: SpiceJet Spokesperson pic.twitter.com/R1LwAVO4Mk

— ANI (@ANI) July 2, 2022

The video was originally shared on Twitter by Saurabh Chhabra, who was a passenger on SpiceJet flight SG 2962 from Delhi to Jabalpur this morning. On Twitter, Chhabra said that the plane caught fire and passengers started panicking, after which the flight was turned around and made its way back to Delhi.

"Faced this incident today morning. Looks like SpiceJet is unsafe...Once passengers started panicking, they landed back to Delhi. Plane caught fire. Thankfully we are safe but waiting since long. They don't have backup aircraft,” he wrote.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has initiated a probe into the incident, calling on SpiceJet officials to provide details. Prima facie, it appears that the smoke resulted from a technical issue.

This is fifth such incident on SpiceJet aircraft in two weeks. Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation is investigating all the five incidents.

On June 19, an engine on SpiceJet's Delhi-bound aircraft carrying 185 passengers caught fire soon after taking off from the Patna airport and the plane made an emergency landing minutes later. The engine malfunctioned because of a bird hit. In another incident on June 19, a flight for Jabalpur had to return to Delhi due to cabin pressurisation issues.

Fuselage door warnings lit up on two separate planes while taking off on June 24 and June 25, forcing the them to abandon their journeys and return.

(With inputs from PTI)