IndiGo bus's window shatters due to jet blast, five passengers injured

Budget passenger carrier IndiGo on Saturday said that five passengers were injured when the window of a bus ferrying them to their aircraft shattered due to a "jet blast" from a nearby plane.

In aviation parlance a "jet blast" is a high speed gush of air that is exhausted out of the aircraft's engine at the time of either take-off or taxiing.

According to the airline, civil aviation regulator DGCA has initiated an inquiry in to the incident which took place on Friday evening at the IGI Airport here.

"An arriving aircraft of Spicejet SG-253 took a turn to park at the allocated bay during which the jet blast from the aircraft broke the right front window glass of IndiGo coach," the budget passenger carrier said in a statement.

"Five passengers seated in the coach received minor injuries... We have voluntarily informed the authorities. This matter is being investigated by IndiGo safety department and the regulator."

On its part, SpiceJet said that its Chandigarh-Delhi flight SG-253 was following ATC instructions and was taxiing at the time of the incident.

"It is too early to say if the incident was caused by an outside object or jet blast of SpiceJet aircraft or the bus violated the vehicular movement lane or any other reason," SpiceJet said in a statement.

"It is also too early to apportion responsibility as the pilots were following normal procedures as is done world wide. In any case we have informed the regulator and the airline is closely cooperating with all assistance."

--IANS

rv/bg