Lahore ATC refused to help IndiGo flight stuck in hailstorm danger

The pilots of the IndiGo plane, which was damaged in rough weather en route to Srinagar, were denied permission by the Lahore ATC to venture briefly into Pakistan airspace to escape the hailstorm, in complete violation of humanitarian norms.

India’s civil aviation regulator, the DGCA, said the aircraft was cruising at an altitude of approximately 36,000 feet near Punjab’s Pathankot when it ran into a thunderstorm and hailstorm.

Experiencing severe turbulence, the crew



first requested the Northern ATC of the Indian Air Force to allow the flight to deviate towards the International Border. However, the request was denied because it was felt that the plane would face danger from the Pakistan side due to the recently witnessed intense hostilities between India and the neighbouring country during Operation Sindoor.

The pilot then sought permission from the Lahore air traffic control (ATC) to briefly venture into Pakistani airspace to avoid the storm. But it was refused, too.