Ians

Hyderabad: In a minor mishap, a defunct aircraft of Air India was damaged when it fell from a crane transporting it at Begumpet Airport here on Sunday morning, officials said.

No one was injured in the incident as the A320 aircraft hull hit a boundary wall and fell to the ground, officials said adding that the hull could still be used for training purposes at the Central Training Establishment of Air India to where it was being taken.

The Air India officials were transporting the old A320 aircraft from the Begumpet Airport to the Central Training Establishment, Air India's training academy, nearby.

Police said the aircraft hull banged against the compound wall of Hitech club near Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam school at the Old Airport Road in Bowenpally.

A gap had been fashioned in the airport boundary wall to allow the crane carrying the aircraft hull move from the airport to the training establishment.

Air India officials said the old hull stationed at the airport was being moved to make space at the hangar and also to use the hull for training at the Central Training Establishment.

The national carrier said all necessary procedures and planning required for the removal of the hull were in place. It was successfully taken out of the airport but at one particular moment the crane lost balance and the hull became unstable and fell on the ground.

Begumpet Airport, located in the city, is used for VIP flights, air shows and training since 2007, when all commercial operations were shifted to the new international airport developed at Shamshabad, about 30 km from the city.

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