Dust storm forces IndiGo flight with 144 onboard to divert from Dibrugarh to Imphal

A thick curtain of dust swept across Upper Assam on Sunday, February 22 morning, forcing an IndiGo aircraft carrying 144 passengers to abort its landing at Dibrugarh and divert to Imphal in Manipur, after visibility plunged to “dangerously low” levels, officials said.

Flight 6E-6457, operated by IndiGo, was en route from Ahmedabad to Dibrugarh via Guwahati when severe weather disrupted its final leg of the journey. The aircraft had departed from Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport at 10:20 am and was scheduled to land in Dibrugarh at 11:15 am.

However, as the aircraft approached its destination, a sudden and intense dust storm swept across the region, sharply reducing visibility and hampering ground operations. Airport officials said conditions deteriorated rapidly and fell well below the minimum safety thresholds required for landing.

“The arrival coincided with a heavy dust storm. Visibility was dangerously low, leaving no margin for error,” an airport official told PTI. With safety paramount, the flight crew made the decision to divert the aircraft to Bir Tikendrajit International Airport in Imphal.

All 144 passengers onboard were reported safe. Officials said the diversion was carried out in accordance with standard operating procedures to ensure passenger safety amid adverse weather conditions.