New Delhi: As many as seven flights received bomb threats on Wednesday taking the number of flights impacted to 19 in three days, with the Union government asserting that the law enforcement agencies are actively pursuing all cases and the Mumbai Police arresting a minor for issuing threats to three flights.
Some flights were delayed, diverted and returned mid-way in the wake of bomb threats received through social media, sending security agencies into a tizzy. The Delhi Police has registered an FIR in connection with bomb threats to several flights in the last two days and has launched a probe.
Bomb threats were received by at least three IndiGo flights, two SpiceJet flights and an Akasa Air flight on Wednesday. IndiGo’s Riyadh-Mumbai flight was diverted to Muscat due to the threat.
Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Wednesday said law enforcement agencies are actively pursuing all cases of bomb threats against airlines and the government is closely monitoring the situation.
With at least 19 flights operated by Indian carriers receiving bomb threats in three days that later turned out to be hoax, he also said the Mumbai police have arrested a minor responsible for issuing bomb threats targeting three flights.
“All others responsible for the disruptions will be identified and duly prosecuted,” the minister said in a statement as he strongly condemned any attempt to compromise the safety, security and operational integrity of the aviation sector.
The issue of multiple hoax threat messages to various airlines came up before a parliamentary committee on Wednesday.
On Wednesday afternoon, a Bengaluru-bound Akasa Air flight carrying 184 people returned to Delhi following a bomb threat.
“Akasa Air flight QP 1335, flying from Delhi to Bengaluru on October 16, 2024, and carrying 174 passengers, 3 infants and 7 crew members on board, received a security alert,” an airline spokesperson said in a statement.
In Delhi, Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGI) Usha Rangnani said, “Airport police has responded to eight incidents involving reported bomb threats this month. After thorough verifications and inspection, all threats were confirmed to be hoaxes.”
“Legal action has been initiated against those responsible for these false alarms to ensure strict measures against misuse and to maintain the safety and security of passengers and airport operations,” she said.
On Monday, Naidu chaired a high-level meeting that was attended by officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Ministry of Home Affairs and Civil Aviation.
“I assure all the stakeholders, including passengers and industry partners, that every possible effort is being made to safeguard the operations,” he said in the statement on Wednesday.
One flight of Vistara and Air India Express also received the threats.
In total, nine flights received bomb threats on Tuesday and one of them, Air India’s AI 127 flight from Delhi to Chicago, was diverted to an airport in Canada. The stranded passengers at the Iqaluit airport were ferried to Chicago by a Canadian Air Force plane.
On Tuesday, an Air India Express flight IX 684 from Madurai to Singapore received a bomb threat. Singapore Armed Forces had scrambled two fighter jets to escort the Air India Express plane away from populated areas before it landed safely at Singapore’s Changi airport.
Three flights received bomb threats on Monday.
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