India: Recent cases of aircraft veering off runways prompts DGCA to ground 12 pilots

The DGCA has grounded 12 pilots and served show-cause notices on them after the 6 recent cases of aircraft veering off runway or taxiway, a senior official said Thursday. SpiceJet, Air India Express and GoAir have been involved in 3, 2 and 1 such incidents, respectively, in the past few days, prompting the DGCA to take action. The action comes even as the main runway at Mumbai airport remained shut after a SpiceJet plane from Jaipur veered off it while landing amidst heavy rains Monday night and got stuck in the adjacent grass area. June 30, another SpiceJet plane from Bhopal veered off the runway at Surat airport due to heavy rainfall and wind. A SpiceJet spokesperson said that the “pilots involved in both incidents — which happened in Mumbai and Surat — have been suspended as per the directions of the DGCA”. <br/>