IndiGo pilot issued ‘PAN PAN PAN’ alert before emergency landing in Mumbai: Here's what it means

IndiGo emergency landing: An IndiGo flight travelling from Delhi to Goa was forced to make an emergency landing at Mumbai Airport on Tuesday night, after it faced an engine-related problem mid-air. According to Mumbai Airport officials, the aircraft landed safely without any harm to the passengers.


The flight, identified as IndiGo 6E 6271, was flying an Airbus A320neo with registration number VT-IZB. It departed from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) and was en route to Goa's Manohar International Airport when the issue occurred.

There were 191 people on board when the flight had to be diverted. The plane landed safely at Mumbai Airport at 9:53 PM IST on 16 July 2025.


At around 9:27 PM, when the aircraft was flying approximately 100 nautical miles north of Bhubaneswar, the pilot issued a “PAN PAN PAN” call. This is an aviation emergency signal that indicates a problem requiring attention, but one that is not life-threatening.

A Mumbai Airport official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, explained that the “PAN PAN PAN” alert was declared due to a malfunction in engine number 1. While it did not require a “MAYDAY” distress call, the situation was serious enough for the pilot to request an immediate landing.



In a statement, an IndiGo spokesperson confirmed the incident. “A technical snag was detected on flight 6E 6271 while flying from Delhi to Goa. As per standard procedures, the aircraft was diverted to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai for safety reasons,” the spokesperson said.

The airline reassured passengers and the public that safety was not compromised and that all emergency landing protocols were strictly followed. However, they did not reveal further technical details regarding the engine issue.


The term ‘PAN PAN PAN’ is part of international aviation terminology used to signal a situation that is urgent but not immediately dangerous.

The phrase “PAN PAN PAN” comes from the French word ‘panne’, meaning a breakdown. It is one level below the emergency word “MAYDAY”, which is used for the most serious situations that involve direct risk to life.


Aviation experts say that “PAN PAN” is used when something needs urgent attention—like an engine failure, minor medical issue, or technical problem—but there’s no immediate danger of a crash, as reported in HT.

As per Colonel Rajgopalan, founder of Aviation Training India, “PAN PAN is a step below MAYDAY. It allows pilots to alert air traffic control of serious, but manageable issues during flight.”

He further explained that such calls could be triggered by events like a non-critical engine failure, mild health issues on board, or sudden weather-related problems.


Thankfully, the IndiGo emergency landing was smooth, and all 191 passengers and crew members were unharmed. The quick thinking and action of the pilot, along with proper coordination with Mumbai Airport authorities, ensured a safe landing.

The incident with IndiGo flight 6E 6271 highlights the importance of emergency communication in aviation. The use of “PAN PAN PAN” helped the pilot alert ground control of the technical issue in time, leading to a safe emergency landing at Mumbai Airport.

While such signals may sound alarming, they are a vital part of keeping air travel safe and secure. IndiGo has once again shown how standard safety protocols and trained pilots can handle emergency situations calmly and effectively.

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