A hard landing by an Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jet temporarily shut down Pune International Airport today. The aircraft, an IAF Su30 MKI, rendered the runway inoperative. Consequently, this sudden closure forced multiple incoming flights to divert.
The runway closure disrupted normal operations significantly. According to flight tracking data, authorities diverted at least eight flights scheduled to land in Pune. Specifically, these flights routed to Surat, Manohar, Navi Mumbai, Chennai, and Coimbatore International Airports. Therefore, passengers on these affected flights experienced unexpected delays and rerouting. Meanwhile, airport authorities worked quickly to restore operations.
The IAF’s Media Coordination Centre released a prompt statement on X regarding the incident. They confirmed that all aircrew members are completely safe. Furthermore, the hard landing caused no damage to civil property. The IAF stated:
Efforts are underway to operationalize the runway and resume normal operations at the earliest.
Officials now report that restoration work at the Pune runway is complete. Consequently, the airport will reopen soon.
Notably, this marks the second incident involving an Indian Su-30 MKI Fighter Jet in 2026. Earlier this year, on March 5, an IAF Sukhoi Su-30MKI-3 crashed. That incident occurred in the Karbi Anglong district of Assam. Ultimately, that crash killed both pilots.
