Jet Airways flight grounded at Mumbai Airport after being hit by tug

A Jet Airways aircraft was grounded after being hit by a tug at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Wednesday morning.

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad flight (9W- 4329) was carrying 161 passengers.

Pushback tractors or tugs are special, low-profile vehicles that are used to push the aircraft away from an airport gate when it is ready to leave. They have powerful engines and are also used to manoeuvre an aircraft in and around the runway in case of mishap.

According to preliminary information, the incident took place earlier today when the aircraft was stationed at the parking bay. The tug had been brought in to push it to the gate.

While no major damages have been reported so far, airport authorities have started probing how the mishap took place. The extent of the actual damage is also being ascertained.

Further details about the incident are awaited.