Five flights receive bomb threats through social media accounts

Representational Pic/File/iStock

Several airlines operating in and out of India on Tuesday received bomb threats, with a total of five threats reported in a single day, the officials said.

Five flights received threats via unverified social media accounts, they said, adding that the flights included two international flights and three domestic flights.

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Among the international flights those received bomb threats included Air India flight AI172 from Delhi to Chicago which was diverted to Canada due to a bomb threat and IndiGo flight 6E 98 from Dammam to Lucknow which was diverted to Jaipur, where it landed safely.

Following the incident Air India and IndiGo shared their official statements.

The Air India said, "Flight Al127 operating from Delhi to Chicago on October 15, 2024, was the subject of a security threat posted online and, as a precautionary measure, has landed at Iqaluit Airport in Canada. The aircraft and passengers are being re-screened as per the laid down security protocol. Air India has activated agencies at the airport to assist the passengers until such time that their journey can resume. Air India notes that it, and other local airlines, have been subject to a number of threats in recent days. Though all have subsequently been found to be hoaxes, as a responsible airline operator all threats are taken seriously. The inconvenience to customers is sincerely regretted. Air India is extending all cooperation to authorities in identifying the perpetrators of such threats to ensure that they are held accountable for the disruption and inconvenience caused to passengers, and will consider legal action against those responsible to recover damages incurred by the airline."

In an official statement, IndiGo airlines said, "Flight 6E 98, operating from Dammam to Lucknow, was redirected to Jaipur due to a security-related alert. The aircraft was isolated, and all passengers were safely disembarked. Ensuring the safety and security of our customers and crew remains paramount in all facets of our operations. We are working closely with the relevant authorities, and mandated checks are currently underway. We sincerely regret any inconvenience this situation may have caused our customers and appreciate their understanding."

Apart from international flights, three domestic flights received bomb threats.

These included SpiceJet flight SG116 from Darbhanga to Mumbai which landed safely in Mumbai.

The SpiceJet, in its official statement said, "On October 15, 2024, SpiceJet flight SG 116, operating on the Darbhanga-Mumbai sector, was informed by Mumbai ATC during descent of a bomb threat conveyed via a tweet. The aircraft landed safely at Mumbai Airport and was directed to an isolation bay as a precautionary measure. All passengers disembarked normally, and security agencies were immediately notified. After thorough security checks, the aircraft has been cleared for further operations."

An Akasa Air flight QP 1373 from Bagdogra to Bengaluru landed in Bengaluru with priority handling following a bomb threat.

Akasa Air in a statement said, "Akasa Air flight QP 1373, flying from Bagdogra to Bengaluru on October 15, 2024, and carrying 167 passengers, 2 infants and 7 crew members on board, received a security alert on board. The Captain followed all required emergency procedures and landed safely at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru at 13:39 hrs. All passengers were deplaned, and the local authorities undertook the necessary safety and security checks after which, the aircraft was released for operations. The Akasa Air team was on ground to assist all passengers, including providing regular updates and refreshments throughout the process. On completion of all required safety procedures, passengers exited the airport terminal at 16:30 hrs. At Akasa Air, passenger safety and comfort are our highest priority, and our crew followed all protocols according to our operating procedures."

Meanwhile, an Air India Express flight IX 765 from Jaipur to Ayodhya also received a threat following which it landed safely at Ayodhya.

An airline spokesperson said, "Air India Express, along with a few other operators, received a specific security threat from an unverified social media handle. In response, security protocols were promptly activated as directed by the Government-appointed Bomb Threat Assessment Committee. The flight landed safely, and the aircraft will be released for operations following all mandated security procedures."

In total, there have been eight bomb threats over the last two days. On October 15, two threats involved IndiGo flights and one involved Air India.

On October 16, threats affected multiple airlines, including Air India, SpiceJet, Akasa, Air India Express, and IndiGo.