NEW DELHI: Ninety-four passengers of Lucknow-bound Kingfisher Airline flight IT653 had a narrow escape on Sunday when a Delhi Police jeep which was posted at the airport as part of security arrangements for President Pratibha Patil strayed onto the runway. ( Watch )

According to Kingfigher sources, the pilot noticed two headlights on the runway when the flight was just about to take-off at around 7:30 pm. He immediately aborted take-off and informed air traffic control.

A Kingfisher airlines spokesperson said: ‘‘The plane had just begun its take-off roll and was at a very low speed when the commander noticed an orange light and a red light at the end of the runway. In keeping with airline policy, the commander followed the normal protocol of rejecting take off and safely taxiing back to the runway.’’ He added that the flight took-off safely after 15-20 minutes. Sources said the jeep should not have been anywhere on the runway.

‘‘At 7:30 pm ATC was informed that a Kingfisher flight abandoned take-off from runway 9 as it noticed some light at the end of the runway. It was found that a Delhi Police gypsy standing on the service road near the beginning of runway 27 had its headlights on. The gypsy had come for VIP movement in the technical area,’’ said a DIAL spokesperson. Patil was arriving from Amravati and the police jeep was a part of the cavalcade posted for the purpose.

Last year, a SpiceJet flight for Goa aborted take-off when the pilot spotted another plane on the runway. When contacted, Delhi Police PRO Rajan Bhagat said the matter was being looked into.

(richi.verma@timesgroup.com)