Buffalo-hit: Surat airport director transferred to Assam

The Airports Authority of India has transferred Surat airport Director S D Sharma to Leelabari airport in Assam, days after a Delhi-bound Spice Jet flight with 144 passengers onboard hit a stray buffalo on the runway, officials said on Wednesday.

"Surat Airport Director S D Sharma has been transferred to Leelabari in Assam with the immediate effects by AAI," Western Region General Manager AAI, V S P Chinson told PTI. On whether the decision was taken in wake of the buffalo-hit at Surat airport, Chinson refused to comment stating that the action was initiated from Delhi. On November 6, a Surat-Delhi Spice Jet aircraft, SG 622, carrying over 140 passengers excluding crew members, hit a buffalo on the runway at Surat airport just few seconds before the take-off. Following this, Spice Jet authorities decided to suspend all its services from Surat airport considering the security lapse due to stray animal menace.

The DGCA officials had also visited the Surat airport on November 7 to take stock of the situation there. Soon after, the Surat Municipal Corporation also swung into action after the incident and served notices to five cattle-hut owners outside the airport and also caught five stray buffaloes to prevent any eventuality.