Authorities on Wednesday deboarded passengers from a flight of Indigo airlines after it came in “close proximity” of accumulated snow at Srinagar airport.

Sharad Kumar, Director, Airport Authority of India, said the passengers were shifted to other aircraft in order to avoid any incident.

“There was the possibility of an incident as the plane came in close proximity of snow accumulated there and in order to avoid it (incident), the plane was halted there and then. The passengers were deboarded and shifted to another plane,” he said. “The aircraft was later toed and brought back on the way,” he said.  The plane was bound for New Delhi and had to be halted at around 12:30 P.M. as it came to the close proximity of the snow accumulation, the sources said.

There was panic but things eased as the passengers were informed about it, the sources added. “There was no problem to people as their safety was paramount for us. The plane was stopped as soon as it reached in close proximity of the snow accumulation,” the Director Airport Authority of India added. (GNS)