In order to be fully prepared in case of an emergency, Mangaluru International Airport conducted ‘Mangalam—Tabletop Exercise 2024’ on May 28 by simulating an air crash at its tabletop runway. The drill was carried out to identify any shortcomings or errors the team might showcase in such a drastic real-life situation.
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The Tabletop Exercise
The simulation exercise was done in accordance with the directives from the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the mandates of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. In the drill, an air crash scenario was simulated at the airport, and different departments and agencies were asked to act accordingly to minimise the damage. A script was prepared beforehand which kept adding complications to the situation in order to truly prepare the team and the airport for all imaginable outcomes. In the end, the airport authorities emphasised the need of the drill in ensuring preparedness for all emergency situations.
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The exercise was carried out at Mangaluru Airport’s tabletop runway which has a cliff at its end. The drill was also seen as important due to the tragic accident of an Air India flight, in 2010, which overshot the tabletop runway at the airport and plummeted into the ravine below, killing 158 passengers. The exercise served as a precursor to the full-scale aerodrome emergency exercise scheduled for November 2024.
