Jet flight returns after passenger finds bomb threat note in safety guide

Saturday night turned out to be not only fearful but also hectic for passengers of Jet Airways Mumbai-Kuwait flight after one of the passengers found a bomb threat message inside the flight.

The Jet Airways flight's (9W574) 159 passengers and seven crew members were deplaned at Mumbai airport after a passenger found a bomb threat message written inside the safety instruction guide that said, "A bomb under your seat and this is your last flight." The passenger immediately alerted the flight crew, who then informed the pilot.

Jet says
"Jet Airways flight 9W 574 from Mumbai to Kuwait returned to the parking bay after push back at Mumbai airport at 10.35 pm on Saturday due to a security alert. All 159 passengers and seven crew disembarked safely and were taken to the airport terminal.

Representational pic

After a thorough search by the security agencies, the aircraft was cleared for onward journey. The flight departed for Kuwait at 4.20am yesterday. We would like to apologise for the inconvenience caused to our guests.
The security of our guests and crew is always our number one priority," said a Jet Airways spokesperson. The plane was parked at the isolation bay at the airport and the security procedure was initiated. Around 11 pm, all passengers were frisked, asked to deboard the flight and their hand baggage was re-checked.

After the bomb squad and the airline's engineer and security personnel carried out the anti-sabotage check, the flight was declared safe. Re-boarding began at 2.10 am and at 4.20 am the flight took off for Kuwait.

High alert
This happened when the Mumbai airport was on high alert after a youth from Madhya Pradesh posing as an ISI agent threatened to hijack an Air India flight on Saturday. However, the A 20-year-old Std XII student claimed that he did it "just out of fun".

The boy was nabbed from Harda district of Madhya Pradesh on Friday and an offence has been registered against him. He was produced before a local court, which remanded him in police custody till December 2.
ATS and Intelligence Bureau were also roped in to look into the matter.