In the past 48 hours, at least 10 flights from Indian airlines have been subjected to hoax bomb threats, leading to significant delays and diversions.
On Tuesday, Singapore’s Air Force scrambled two fighter jets to escort an Air India Express flight away from populated areas after a bomb threat was reported. Earlier, an Air India flight from Delhi to Chicago was forced to land at a Canadian airport as a precaution.
While false bomb threats to airlines are not uncommon in India, the reason behind this sudden wave of threats remains unclear. Authorities from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security have yet to respond to requests for comment.
Along with Air India, other Indian carriers such as IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air were also targeted. On Monday, three international flights originating from Mumbai were either delayed or diverted due to threats posted on an X (formerly Twitter) handle. A teenager has been detained by police in connection with these incidents.
On Tuesday, seven more flights were affected, including two Air India planes. The threats were issued by another X handle, which has since been suspended. Posts from this handle tagged both the airline and local police, mentioning specific flight numbers.
Air India released a statement confirming their cooperation with authorities to identify those responsible for the threats and indicated that they may pursue legal action to recover damages caused by the delays and disruptions.
At Indian airports, a Bomb Threat Assessment Committee is activated in such situations to evaluate the seriousness of the threat. This often leads to involvement from bomb disposal squads, sniffer dogs, ambulances, police, and medical personnel. Passengers are deboarded, and their cabin and check-in baggage are thoroughly screened. The aircraft is searched by engineering and security teams before being cleared for takeoff.
These disruptions can result in financial losses for airlines, running into thousands of dollars, and may also trigger international cooperation, as seen in Singapore and Canada.
In Singapore, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen confirmed that two fighter jets were deployed to escort the Air India Express flight, which was en route from Madurai to Singapore. The plane landed safely at Changi Airport, where it was handed over to local police for investigation.
In Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is investigating the bomb threat after the Air India flight bound for Chicago made an emergency landing at Iqaluit Airport. Air India later announced that the Canadian Air Force was transporting the passengers to Chicago, while the flight’s future departure remains uncertain.
Leave a Reply