Bhubaneswar: Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) on Monday conducted a comprehensive full-scale emergency exercise, demonstrating its preparedness in handling major aviation incidents. The drill, held in the aftermath of the Ahmedabad air crash that killed 260, including 241 flyers, simulated a critical emergency scenario involving an A321 commercial aircraft with 222 passengers.Airport officials said the exercise depicted an aircraft reporting an engine fire warning before crash-landing within the airport premises, resulting in multiple fire locations and casualties scattered across a 500-metre radius. “The simulation tested the airport’s emergency response capabilities and multi-agency coordination. Over 200 personnel from 11 various agencies participated in the drill, including Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF), Odisha Fire Service, CISF, State Police, NDRF, airlines, and medical services. The exercise featured realistic elements such as crash fire tenders, ambulances, and volunteer ‘victims’ on stretchers, with temporary medical facilities enhancing the training’s authenticity,” airport director Prasanna Pradhan said.Emphasising the importance of such exercises, Pradhan said, “Today’s exercise demonstrated the strength of our partnerships and the high level of readiness across all emergency response teams.” Representatives from regulatory agencies and aviation safety organisations were present to evaluate the drill and provide feedback for future improvements. The exercise highlighted the airport’s commitment to passenger and staff safety while testing the effectiveness of its Airport Emergency Plan (AEP). “Lessons learned and observations from the drill will be incorporated into the airport’s emergency response protocols to enhance future preparedness,” Pradhan added.Similar exercise was carried out at Veer Surendra Sai Airport, Jharsuguda. The drill was part of the periodic testing of the AEP and was aimed to assess the airport’s preparedness and inter-agency coordination in responding to a major aircraft accident scenario within the aerodrome vicinity.The drill simulated the crash of a commercial aircraft carrying 80 passengers and 4 crew members just before landing. The emergency scenario was triggered through a mock distress call received by the Air Traffic Control, activating a swift response from airport fire services and support agencies.(With inputs from Ritesh Sharma in Jharsuguda)
