A 23-year-old pilot from Haryana, Deepika Adhana, recently played a critical role in an emergency rescue operation. She was part of an all-women crew for an Air India Express flight that brought 169 Indian citizens back home from the United Arab Emirates. The mission took place on March 6, 2026, during rising tensions in the Middle East. Deepika and her team landed safely at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, bringing huge relief to the passengers and their families.
How Did the UAE Rescue Mission Take Place?
The sudden rescue mission was assigned to Deepika just two hours before the flight departed at 10:15 AM. The Air India Express flight, led by Captain Jaswinder Kaur and an all-women crew of six, flew from Delhi to Ras Al Khaimah International Airport. Within an hour, 169 Indian passengers boarded the plane. During the return journey, the flight briefly lost contact with Air Traffic Control. This happened due to a temporary GPS glitch known as GPS spoofing. The crew handled the situation calmly using the Inertial Reference System and safely landed the aircraft in Delhi.
Who is Pilot Deepika Adhana?
Deepika is a resident of Mawai village in Faridabad, Haryana. She joined Air India Express as a First Officer in April 2024 after completing her commercial pilot license in 2021. Before leaving for this high-risk zone, the situation was very tense. She told her mother and uncle to see her one last time, as she was not sure about returning. However, her father Yogesh Adhana and the rest of her family supported her and asked her to focus on her duty. Passengers at the Delhi airport expressed deep gratitude to the entire crew for their safe return.
