Flight operations resume at Goa's Dablim Airport after brief pause

Flight operations re-commenced at Dabolim airport on Saturday after a brief pause caused by "inadvertent jettisoning" of the external drop tank of a Naval Mig-29K aircraft.

"A minor fire was caused due to fuel spillage. Emergency services were immediately pressed in to quickly re-operationalise the runway," an official statement said.

Operations were stalled after a fuel tank attached to a MiG-29k aircraft fell on the runway while taking off. The aircraft is safe, Indian Navy said.

"Due to jettisoned fuel tank on runway during MIG sortie the operations are closed for two hrs at Goa airport. Pl bear with us," the official Twitter handle of Goa International Airport informed through a tweet.

The airport also operates as a civil enclave in a military airbase named INS Hansa.

"Flash. #GoaAirport closed temporarily for a few hours view incident of fire caused by a drop tank of MiG 29K which got detached whilst taking off. All efforts in hand to resume flights ASAP. MiG 29K fighter ac is safe. @aaigoaairport @AAI_Official," the Navy said in a tweet soon after the incident.

The images posted by the spokesperson showed thick smoke on the tarmac.