The Pune International Airport runway has been restored and reopened for normal flight operations after being shut for nearly nine hours following an incident involving an Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft during a routine night sortie at Air Force Station Lohegaon.
The incident occurred at around 10:25 pm on Friday when an IAF aircraft reportedly experienced a hard landing during a training sortie. Authorities confirmed that both pilots were safe and no damage was caused to civil property.
Night incident at Lohegaon Air Force Station
According to initial reports from airport and police sources, the aircraft may have suffered an undercarriage issue upon touchdown, which led to the runway being temporarily blocked. However, the exact technical cause has not yet been officially confirmed.
Runway closed after safety emergency
Following the incident, all commercial flight operations at Pune International Airport were immediately suspended as a precautionary safety measure. The airport operates as a dual-use facility shared between civilian flights and the Indian Air Force station at Lohegaon.
IAF confirms aircraft incident, crew safe
The Indian Air Force stated that the runway was temporarily unavailable due to the aircraft incident, but confirmed that the aircrew were safe and no civil infrastructure was affected. The IAF also assured that efforts were underway to restore operations at the earliest.
9-hour shutdown impacts flight operations
Due to the runway closure, both inbound and outbound commercial flights were suspended overnight. Around nine hours of disruption affected scheduled air traffic, with airlines being informed in advance about delays and diversions.
Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol confirmed that passenger safety remained the top priority during the incident response and restoration process.
Runway restored after overnight repairs
IAF personnel and airport authorities worked throughout the night to remove the affected aircraft and conduct detailed runway inspections. Safety checks and clearance procedures were completed by early morning.
Normal flight operations resume
The Indian Air Force later confirmed on social media that the runway had been fully restored and declared operational after all necessary safety inspections. Flight operations resumed in a phased manner from 7:30 am for departures and 8:00 am for arrivals, with services gradually returning to normal.
Q1. Why was Pune airport runway closed?
The runway was closed after an IAF aircraft experienced a hard landing during a night sortie.
Q2. Were passengers or pilots injured?
No, all aircrew were safe and no civil property was damaged.
Q3. How long was the runway closed?
The runway remained closed for around nine hours.
Q4. When did flight operations resume?
Flights resumed gradually from 7:30 am for departures and 8:00 am for arrivals.
