A major accident was averted at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Tuesday morning. SpiceJet flight SG121 going from Delhi to Leh had to return just minutes after take off. There was a sudden technical fault in the plane’s engine, after which the pilot immediately gave a ‘Mayday’ call to ATC. The fortunate thing is that all the 150 passengers on board the plane were safely landed back on the ground and no one was injured.
What happened in the air and how did the landing happen?
According to reports, SpiceJet’s Boeing 737 aircraft took off from Delhi at around 6:08 am. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot realized a malfunction in the plane’s second engine. The pilot immediately contacted ATC and asked for permission to make an emergency landing.
A ‘full emergency’ was declared at the airport, which means the fire brigade and medical teams on the runway were ready to deal with any situation. The plane landed safely at Delhi airport at 6:49 am. During this period, ATC gave priority to this flight by stopping other flights so that the safety of the passengers could be ensured.
What will happen to the passengers and what did the airline say?
A SpiceJet spokesperson said that the plane landed normally and the passengers were taken to the terminal safely. The airline clarified that there was no fire warning in the cockpit, there was just a technical problem with the engine.
Arrangements for accommodation and food have been made for the passengers. A second flight has been arranged on Wednesday, 25 February 2026 to send all these passengers to Leh. DGCA and the technical team have stopped (grounded) the damaged aircraft for investigation and will be allowed to fly again only after the complete report comes.