Air Vice Marshal (retired) Kak demands inquiry after Spicejet flight hits buffalo

A day after a SpiceJet flight hit a buffalo that strayed onto the runway at the Surat Airport in Gujarat, Air Vice Marshal (retired) Kapil Kak on Friday said a thorough inquiry should be launched and infrastructure of all airports across the country should be reviewed.

He also said the incident happened due to monumental security lapse and added that the tarmac should be properly fenced to avoid such incidents in future.

"It is absolutely shocking because it is a life of 140 passengers which was at stake. Secondly, it is lucky, god's mercy that the aircraft was saved because take off role is a critical stage of an aircraft flight. Landing and take-off these are the two critical segments. So, we could have lost 140 lives," said Air Vice Marshal (retired) Kak.

He also criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not upgrading airport infrastructure in his home state Gujarat.

No passengers or crew were hurt in the untoward incident. Passengers on the Delhi-bound aircraft were transferred on to another plane after the incident.

According to reports, he Civil Aviation Ministry has ordered separate inquiries by the Director General of Civil Aviation and the Airports Authority of India.