Chennai, 11 February (H.S.) : A wave of panic gripped residents living in the vicinity of Chennai airport on Wednesday afternoon after a private aircraft was observed circling the sky for more than two hours.

The aircraft repeatedly performed circular maneuvers and occasionally descended as if preparing for a final approach, only to suddenly climb back to a higher altitude and continue its flight path. The unusual activity, which lasted from the afternoon until the evening, caused significant concern among the public who feared the plane might be in distress or facing a technical emergency.

The anxiety was further heightened because Wednesday is not a scheduled day for runway maintenance, which typically occurs on Tuesdays and Saturdays. During those maintenance windows, flights are often seen circling the area awaiting clearance.

In response to the growing alarm, several citizens contacted the local police as well as fire and rescue services to report the suspicious activity. Media outlets and news agencies also received numerous calls from worried onlookers.

Addressing the situation, Chennai airport officials clarified that the flight was a private training aircraft conducting a routine exercise. The authorities confirmed that the training session was carried out after obtaining all necessary clearances from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Flight tracking data later confirmed that the aircraft had circled the area more than ten times as part of the sanctioned training protocol, and officials assured that there was no safety risk involved at any point during the operation.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary