Mumbai: An Air India flight flying in from Kochi had a close shave while landing in Mumbai on Monday morning after it veered off the rain-soaked runway. All passengers aboard the aircraft are safe, airport authorities said.

Visuals showed the nacelle of the right engine -- the housing that surrounds the engine -- damaged, evidently having made contact during what is called a runway excursion. The damage to the nacelle means a part of the engine had an impact with the tarmac or the soft side of the runway. The clump of grass on the rear part of the engine indicates that the impact was deep.

Government sources said the plane, after landing, made a runway excursion to one side of the runway. "Marking of one wheel of aircraft went into the grassy area on the side of the runway," a source said. Three signage boards and four runway edge lights were found broken after the incident.

According to Air India, the aircraft has been grounded for checks, and the inspection is underway. The two pilots have been derostered pending an inquiry into what led to the scare.

This incident comes at a time when the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation is closely looking at safety protocols for passenger flights in the aftermath of the AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad last month that claimed over 250 lives.