NEW DELHI – First it was monkeys and rabbits. Now a cow has forced flightsto be diverted from Ahmedabad airport and Indian authorities said Fridayhuman negligence may have had a role.
The brave bovine crept past security at a cargo gate at the airport inIndia’s Gujarat state to stray near the runway sparking a rodeo chase withguards.
A flight from Abu Dhabi and a cargo plane had to be diverted to Mumbaiafter one of the pilots spotted the beast. The arrival of five domesticflights and several departures were also delayed.
Aviation sources said airport security guards and fire officials struggledfor more than 90 minutes to move the cow away from the runway.
“The cow had entered from near the cargo gate of the airport. The securitypersonnel with sticks and air guns chased the animal away,” one source said.
Sardar Vallabhbhai International Airport and other Indian airports have hadprevious troubles with disrespectful animals.
In February last year, an IndiGo flight at Ahmedabad was delayed on thetakeoff strip because of rabbits on the runway.
In November 2016, a Chennai-bound plane had to abort take off after somemonkeys were spotted on the runway.
Two years earlier, a Delhi-bound flight from Surat hit a stray buffalo onthe runway a few seconds before take-off.
The Airport Authority of India has ordered an inquiry into the latestincident.
“The AAI chairman has asked the Ahmedabad airport director to ascertainpossibility of any human negligence in the incident.
“Directives have been given to take stringent steps to avoid any suchoccurrences in future,” said an AAI statement.