Air India pilot Captain Neeraj Sethi is being hailed as a “true hero” after he made a successful smooth landing at Mumbai airport on Tuesday (August 19) under difficult weather conditions of heavy rain and gusty winds. A video of the landing, shot by a passenger on board, has since been going viral on social media.

Viral Video Showcases Professionalism

The widely shared video clearly shows the plane’s smooth descent and exact landing on the rainy runway. One of the passengers, who posted the clip on X (formerly Twitter), captioned it: “Mumbai airport landing during heavy rains. Tips of hats to Captain Neeraj Sethi for safe landing with lesser visibility.”

The video gained traction very rapidly, with social media users praising the exceptional professionalism and expertise of Captain Sethi. Comments flooded in, with one user posting, “Full Marks to the Captain. The True Heroes of Indian Skies.” Another user spoke in appreciation, saying, “Really hats off to all the pilots, Mumbai facing really bad weather and visibility is almost none, last month I flew to Mumbai and weather was too bad almost fog all over but I landed safely.”

#Mumbai airport landing in midst of heavy rains. #MumbaiRains Hats off to Captain Mr. Neeraj Sethi for landing safely with less visibility. @airindia VT-TNC pic.twitter.com/khvJTSWnv7
—Vidyasagar (@jvidyasagar) August 19, 2025

While the overwhelming sentiment was one of praise, some users noted that such landings, though challenging, are part of a pilot’s routine, often aided by autopilot systems.

Mumbai Battles Severe Weather & Airport Disruptions

The historic landing took place as Mumbai was hit by severe weather. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had also declared a red alert in the city in view of ongoing heavy rain, which caused widespread waterlogging and extensive disruption to life.

Mumbai Airport too was badly hit, with over 250 flights disrupted by the inclement weather. Passengers were urged strongly to verify their flight status before going to the airport.

City Still Under Alert

The IMD has put out an Orange Alert for Mumbai for August 20, suggesting prolonged heavy rains, though the intensity will dip from Thursday. The city has been lashed by relentless rain for the last few days, with numerous roads looking like rivers.

Day-to-day life in Mumbai has been severely affected, with local train services on both the main and harbour lines of Central Railway being disrupted by inundated tracks. Schools, colleges, and government offices were closed, and the Bombay High Court functioned for half a day only, indicating the severity of the impact of the monsoon.

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