An Etihad flight had to be diverted after cow was spotted on runway

A cow running across an airport runway in India led an Etihad Airways flight to divert its course. 

The flight, which was en route from Abu Dhabi, was scheduled to land at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad - one of the largest cities in Gujarat - last Thursday, Times of India reports. 

But after people spotted a cow running across the runway, the plane had to abort its landing and head to a Mumbai airport. 

According to the Times of India, airport sources said the bizarre incident took place around 3 am and scores of airport staff struggled "for nearly an hour and a half to remove the cow from the operational area."

In addition to the Etihad aircraft, another cargo plane was also diverted due to the incident. 

The incident, which sparked security concerns among hundreds of thousands of travelers, is currently being investigated. 

According to local news sources, India's airport authority has ordered a detailed report on the matter from Ahmedabad's airport director.

In an official statement issued shortly after the incident, the authority representatives said:

"The chairman has asked the airport director to ascertain the possibility of negligence. Directives have been given to take stringent steps to avoid any such occurrences in future."