New Delhi: An Etihad Airways flight headed for Abu Dhabi carrying approximately 280 passengers was forced to abort its departure on Monday after a "fire" was detected on its left wing, according to local airport officials.

According to airport officials, the pilot noticed the fire as the Etihad flight was preparing for takeoff, prompting an immediate halt  as a precautionary measure. 

Officials confirmed that emergency teams and fire crews arrived on the scene instantly to neutralize the threat. Officials noted that the fire was put out right away, ensuring the safety of everyone on board and preventing any additional damage to the aircraft.

Every passenger safely exited the plane with no injuries reported. Following the fire emergency, airport authorities confirmed that the flight was officially cancelled. 

The exact cause of the fire on the wing has not yet been disclosed. Authorities are expected to conduct an investigation into the incident to determine what triggered the fire during take-off preparations.

Patna-Bound IndiGo Flight Diverted

In another incident, an IndiGo flight travelling from Delhi to Patna was diverted to Lucknow late Wednesday night after encountering severe turbulence and worsening weather conditions near Patna airspace, triggering panic among passengers onboard.

The IndiGo flight 6E6497, carrying 181 passengers and six crew members, was being piloted by Member of Parliament Rajiv Pratap Rudy along with co-pilot Rajiv Mishra when it ran into strong winds and rough weather conditions mid-air.

Amid deteriorating weather conditions, the aircraft was safely diverted to Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow, where it landed at around 10:49 PM as a precautionary measure.