A Vistara flight from Bhubaneswar to Delhi was forced to make an emergency landing approximately 10 minutes after departing from the Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) on May 1 after it was hit by a hailstorm.
BPIA director Prasanna Pradhan said the flight with about 170 passengers departed at 1:45 pm for Delhi when it was hit by a hailstorm in the mid sky forcing the pilot to return to the BPIA for the safety of the passengers and crew members.
The aircraft, he said, had reportedly developed cracks in the windshield after being hit by the hailstorm.
Pradhan said all the passengers are safe and arrangements were being made to send the passengers on another flight.
