Two Indian planes receive bomb threats within 24 hours, were they forced to make emergency landings?
The Air India Express plane was carrying 176 passengers and crew members abroad.
An Air India Express plane, carrying 176 passengers and crew members abroad, was forced to make an emergency landing after a bomb threat on November 12. The plane departed from Mumbai, India for a two-hour flight to Varanasi.
A spokesperson for the airline told The Independent that “One of our flights to Varanasi received a security threat.
“In line with protocol, the Government-appointed Bomb Threat Assessment Committee was immediately alerted, and all necessary security procedures promptly initiated.
“The flight landed safely and all guests were disembarked. The aircraft continued operations post completion of all mandated security checks.”
The Air India Express plane is not the only aircraft that has received a bomb threat. On Thursday November 13, India Today reported that “Authorities on Thursday received a bomb threat message for an Air India flight when it was flying from Toronto to Delhi, and later, the flight landed safely in the national capital, according to sources.
“In the morning, Delhi Police received a message claiming a bomb threat for the flight AI188. Subsequently, the Bomb Threat Assessment Committee (BTAC) was constituted at the Delhi airport, and it was assessed that the threat was "non-specific", the sources told PTI.”
A spokesperson said in a statement that "On board crew carried out all the laid-down security drills, keeping passenger safety and security as a top priority. The flight has landed safely in Delhi and has been parked for mandatory security checks by security as per the protocol.”
In 2024, there were a series of hoax bomb threats targeting Indian airlines. Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, federal aviation minister said at the time that "I am deeply concerned over the recent disruptive acts targeting Indian airlines, affecting domestic and international operations. Such mischievous and unlawful actions are a matter of grave concern. I condemn attempts to compromise safety, security and operational integrity of our aviation sector.”