Indian aircraft suffers tyre damage in Bahrain

Aviation officials in Bahrain are still investigating how four nails became embedded in the front right tyre of an Indian (formerly Indian Airlines) aircraft.They were detected minutes before Flight IC997 was to take off from Bahrain for Doha, en route to Calicut and Cochin, in southern India. Bahrain-based engineers from the airline discovered the five-inch long nails during a final check before departure, averting what an airline official described as a "potential disaster". The engineers changed the tyre and the aircraft left just 15 minutes behind schedule. It had been thoroughly inspected by the engineers after it arrived from Cochin, via Calicut and Doha, at 8.20pm on January 2, said sources. The nails were discovered after the plane was towed to the boarding gate, ready for the return flight, originally scheduled for 12.05am last Thursday. Though Indian officials in Bahrain refused to confirm or deny the incident, a senior airline official, contacted in New Delhi, admitted there had been an incident.

"We are conducting our own investigations but the onus lies on the authorities in Bahrain," he said. "It could have been potentially disastrous had the aircraft taken off with the nails in the tyre." He said the aircraft had earlier received an all-clear in Doha, barely an hour before landing in Bahrain. Civil Aviation officials in Bahrain confirmed there had been "an incident" with the aircraft, but said the "nails could have been picked up anywhere and not necessarily in Bahrain". "The nails were small and harmless, and had perhaps fallen off someone's suitcase while loading and unloading," said an official. IC 997, which originates in Cochin, Kerala, has its first halt at Calicut, also in Kerala, from where it flies to Doha. From Doha, it comes into Bahrain and then goes back the same way - to Cochin, via Doha and Calicut. "The plane arrived on schedule on January 2 and the passengers were offloaded at the remote parking bay," said sources.

"After a thorough engineering check, the aircraft was towed to the boarding gate at the aerobridge for boarding by outbound passengers. "The nails were detected as the boarding was in progress." There was a spare tyre available with Indian's engineers' team and they were able to replace the affected tyre within minutes, said sources. The flight left Bahrain 15 minutes behind schedule, at 12.20am on Thursday. The sources said it was impossible the nails could have been 'picked up' anywhere else but Bahrain. "If that had been the case, the tyre would certainly have burst on take-off from Doha. If not, the plane would have almost certainly had a flat while landing. That did not happen," they said. Ninety-three passengers were booked on the flight and 29 boarded in Bahrain. The rest were due to board in Doha. The aircraft has a capacity of 145 passengers.

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