Water tanker hits Qatar Airways aircraft at Kolkata airport, none hurt

A water bowser hit a stationary Qatar Airways aircraft at Kolkata airport early Thursday when passengers were boarding the plane, but no one was injured, an official said. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner was immediately grounded for assessing the damage caused by the impact, a spokesperson of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said.

At around 2.30 am, when passengers were boarding the plane, the water cart hit the belly of the Doha-bound flight, near the landing gear, she said.

"All 101 passengers and 12 crew, including two pilots, of flight QR 540 have been provided accommodation at a nearby hotel. They will be taking the 3 am flight to Doha tomorrow (Friday)," the AAI official said.

She said the bowser was meant to refill the water tanks of the aircraft's washrooms. Initial inspection suggests that the water cart had technical issues, the brake wasn't functioning properly, she said, adding that the damaged aircraft will be ready for operations after repair.

Meanwhile, a source in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) told PTI that an inquiry has been initiated into the incident. "We will take corrective measures based on the inquiry report," he said.