Kuwait Airways, IndiGo aircraft wings collide while taxiing at Mumbai airport

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The wing tips of an IndiGo and a Kuwait Airways aircraft collided while taxiing at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport early on Wednesday, official sources said.

The incident happened around 5.45 a.m. when the Kuwaiti Airbus A330 was taxiing towards the parking stand and the IndiGo Mumbai-Jaipur flight 6E-207 Airbus A-320 was taxiing out for departure.

The air traffic control had instructed the IndiGo pilot to follow the Kuwait Airways' aircraft arrival. The Kuwaiti pilot was advised to move ahead to make way for the former.

While following the procedures, the Kuwait Airways aircraft wing collided with the sharklet (curved portion at the tip of the wing) of the IndiGo plane.

The accident was noticed by a passenger aboard the IndiGo who alerted the crew which informed the flight commander.

As a precaution, the IndiGo commander decided to return to the parking bay, all the passengers disembarked and were shifted to another aircraft.

IndiGo said in a statement that as per rules while an aircraft is on Taxiway N, Taxiway W4 should not be permitted to use as standard wingtip clearance is not met.

"Due to the taxiing process, the IndiGo aircraft came in contact with the aircraft of the international operator (Kuwait Airways)."

The Directorate-General of Civil Aviation and airport authorities are separately probing the incident.