Air India aircraft wheel breaks after pushcart collision at Shahjalal

The nose wheel of an Air India A-320 aircraft broke after being hit by a pushcart operated by the ground handling wing of Biman Bangladesh Airlines at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. The pushcart driver has been accused of negligence, and after the incident he was transferred as a disciplinary measure.

These details were confirmed on Sunday by Biman Bangladesh Airlines managing director and CEO Dr Safiqur Rahman. He said a committee has been formed to assess the extent of the damage to the aircraft.

Airport sources said that on Saturday night, after passengers had boarded and the doors were closed, the Air India aircraft was being moved with a pushcart when the excessive push caused the nose wheel to break. The aircraft was immediately declared grounded. The 126 passengers onboard were taken off and shifted to a hotel. On Sunday morning, some passengers were sent to Mumbai on another flight. The damaged aircraft remains in the bay area.

A responsible airport official said, “This is nothing but the driver’s negligence.” He added that repairs may take time and work to assess the damage is under way.