A preliminary report of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has blamed incorrect landing technique by the flight crew has resulted in the Gulf Air aircraft skidding off the run way at the Cochin International Airport on Monday. The report said the accident was caused due to the non-alignment of the central line during landing.

The Gulf Air pilot had reported that heavy rainfall had hampered visibility of the runway resulting in the mishap. However a DGCA official ruled out that possibility adding that there was nothing abnormal on the weather front, which could have caused such a mishap.

In another incident that took place at the Cochin International Airport on Sunday night, an Air India Express flight bound for Abu Dhabi was brought back after jettisoning fuel as its tail dipped and touched the runway during take off. The flight was airborne for 90 minutes after the take off.

Meanwhile, the Cochin International Airport authorities have said that the damages caused to the runway following the Gulf Air mishap has been rectified and normal flight operations have resumed.