Pune’s Maitreyi Shitole Among Pilots Saving 140 Passengers in Emergency Landing
Pune, 15th October 2024: A Boeing aircraft en route from Tiruchirappalli Airport to Sharjah, UAE, made an emergency landing after experiencing a malfunction in its hydraulic system. The plane, flying at an altitude of 36,000 feet, landed safely with the situation quickly brought under control. Among the pilots was Maitreyi Srikrishna Shitole, a co-pilot hailing from Kusgaon in Daund taluka, Pune.
Maitreyi Shitole, who works for Air India, was co-piloting the flight, which took off at 5:40 pm on Saturday, 12th October, bound for Sharjah. On board were 140 passengers, two pilots, and several crew members. Shortly after takeoff, the pilots noticed the hydraulic system failure and initiated procedures for an emergency landing.
The plane, fully loaded with fuel, needed to reduce its fuel levels for a safe landing. As a result, the aircraft circled above Tiruchirappalli Airport for 2.5 hours while preparing for descent.
In anticipation of a potential emergency landing, airport authorities took extensive precautions, deploying 20 ambulances, doctors, five fire brigades, and police on the runway. Fortunately, the aircraft landed safely at around 8:15 pm without incident.
The quick thinking and expertise of Chief Pilot Chrome Rifadali Fahmi and Co-Pilot Maitreyi Shitole are being widely praised. Their skillful handling of the situation ensured the safety of all 140 passengers on board. Maitreyi, who has one year of experience with Air India, and her captain are receiving admiration from pilots worldwide for their courage, composure, and professionalism during the emergency.
