As diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan remain high, a recent midair crisis has highlighted the fallout. A Delhi-to-Srinagar IndiGo flight encountered intense weather and turbulence on Wednesday, but a plea for temporary entry into Pakistani airspace was reportedly denied by Lahore’s air traffic control, according to PTI sources.

The incident unfolded when the flight, en route as 6E2142 with 227 passengers aboard, ran into a violent hailstorm while nearing Srinagar. The aircraft, already experiencing turbulence near Amritsar, requested a short diversion into Pakistani airspace to avoid the brunt of the storm. Lahore ATC, however, refused permission, forcing the pilot to continue on the original course.

Despite the adverse conditions, the pilot managed to safely land the plane at Srinagar Airport around 6:30 pm. The aircraft sustained visible damage to its nose, prompting IndiGo to classify it as “Aircraft on Ground” (AOG), indicating that it required urgent repair and would remain out of service.

The turbulence triggered panic among passengers, but all 227 individuals on board, including crew, were safely evacuated upon landing.

Among the passengers were five Trinamool Congress leaders—Derek O'Brien, Nadimul Haque, Sagarika Ghose, Manas Bhunia, and Mamata Thakur—who later publicly praised the pilot for ensuring their safe arrival.

The incident came on a day when the Delhi-NCR region experienced sudden, extreme weather, including heavy rainfall and hail. The conditions caused significant disruption at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, with numerous flights delayed or diverted.

This refusal by Pakistan comes in the wake of heightened bilateral tensions following a terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians. In the aftermath, both countries had closed their airspace to one another’s flights.