Twenty-five passengers on board a Kingfisher aircraft, IT-2427, had a narrow escape at the old Bangalore airport on Thursday, when it hit a jackal just as it was about to take off for Hyderabad. The airport had to be shut down following the incident as the aircraft was stuck on the runway till late in the night.

The mishap is said to have occurred at 9: 45 pm when the aircraft, a small turbo prop ATR, was about to take off and a jackal crossed the runway. When the aircraft’s nosewheel hit the jackal, the pilot applied brakes, but the animal got entangled in it, jamming its landing gear. The plane then slid on its belly.

The passengers were made to exit through the emergency doors. While two of them were said to have suffered minor injuries, others escaped unhurt. The passengers would be put on another flight to Hyderabad as soon as the runway is cleared, said the officials.

Meanwhile, the incident led to a chaotic situation at the airport as the runway had to be closed down for operations. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered a quick clearance of the runway, said a statement by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Two Indian Airlines flights from Delhi and Kolkata were immediately diverted to Chennai.