IndiGo loader falls asleep in cargo compartment of flight, lands in Abu Dhabi

In a bizarre incident, a loader of IndiGo Airlines fell asleep in the cargo compartment of the Mumbai-Abu Dhabi flight. The airlines learnt of his presence in the aircraft only after the plane landed in Abu Dhabi about two hours later and after the cargo hold was opened.

The IndiGo aircraft took off with the loader in the pressurized cargo compartment who fell asleep behind the baggage on Sunday's flight. The cargo door was closed and the loader woke up as the aircraft took off from the Mumbai airport, the officials informed. However, the person was found safe on arrival in the UAE.

When the aircraft from Mumbai landed in Abu Dhabi, a medical examination of the loader was conducted by the authorities. After getting the requisite clearances from the authorities in Abu Dhabi on his physical condition, the loader was sent back to Mumbai as a passenger on the same aircraft, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) officials said.

The incident took place on Airbus A320 aircraft that operated as 6E 1835 (Mumbai to Abu Dhabi) which took off around 2.59 am on Sunday. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is probing this lapse and some IndiGo personnel have been taken off duty pending the investigation.

Asked about the matter, an IndiGo spokesperson told news agency PTI, "We are aware of the incident and the requisite authorities have been informed. The matter is under investigation."