In a worrying trend, five hoax bomb threat messages to three international flights, a mail train and a university, made it a manic Monday for security agencies. Three separate international flights with 600 passengers on board departing from Mumbai received bomb threat messages early this morning. Besides, Gujarat based National Law University and Mumbai-Howrah mail train number 12809 also received bomb threat messages, which proved to be hoaxes.
Since any threat is taken seriously, one flight Air India Mumbai-New York was diverted to Indira Gandhi international airport at New Delhi and two others delayed for being checked thoroughly before being allowed to proceed for their destinations.
According to the Bureau of Civil Aviation (BCAS), the affected flights were AI 119, that was the Mumbai-New York Air India flight that diverted to IGI airport, IndiGo Mumbai-Muscat 6E 1275 and Mumbai-Jeddah 6E56. Hoax messages severely cripple flight schedules.
On getting a threat like this airports/aircraft, passengers and baggage has to be thoroughly checked. Getting the all clear nod takes several hours and by then sometimes the maximum time for which crew can operate is about to lapse.
“Flight AI 119 operating from Mumbai to JFK on October 14 received a specific security alert and on instructions of the government’s security regulatory committee, (it) was diverted to Delhi,” Air India said in a statement.”Staff on ground are working to minimise the inconvenience caused to our guests by this unexpected disruption, it said.
All 258 people onboard the aircraft have disembarked and are currently undergoing security procedures. Once the security protocols are completed, the passengers will be moved to hotels, it added.There were 239 passengers and 19 crew members onboard the plane.The flight has been rescheduled and will now depart for New York from Delhi on Tuesday morning, the airline said.
“The aircraft was thoroughly checked at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, and all standard safety protocols were diligently followed to ensure the safety of the passengers and the crew on board,” a senior police officer said, adding that nothing suspicious was found during checking.
The Boeing 777 aircraft - VT-AER - departed Mumbai at 2:27 am, nearly 50 minutes behind its scheduled departure of 1:40 am, and landed around one-and-a-half hours later, according to flight tracking service Flightradar24. Passengers were made to deplane the aircraft at around 4:10 am, but were asked to leave their bags on board.
The bomb threat was received through a post on the microblogging platform X and the handle is being verified, the officer said. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol visited the Delhi airport to take stock of the situation.
“Upon landing in Delhi a while ago, took stock of the situation at Delhi airport regarding the diversion & emergency landing of flight AI 119, carrying 239 passengers. “While the due security checks & safety protocols are being diligently followed, directed the airport officials & the Air India staff to arrange all the necessary assistance as well as convenient accommodation for the passengers affected,” he said in a post on X at 1 pm.
Apart from the Air India flight, two IndiGo flights originating from Mumbai received bomb threats on Monday. One IndiGo flight was headed to Muscat and the other to Jeddah. The IndiGo flights received the threats before they took off and the planes concerned were moved to isolation bays for security checks.
“IndiGo flight 6E 1275 operating from Mumbai to Muscat had received a bomb threat. As per protocol, the aircraft was taken to an isolated bay, and following the standard operating procedure, mandatory security checks were promptly initiated,” the airlines said in a statement.Customers were provided with assistance and refreshments, and we sincerely regret the inconvenience caused,” it added.
“IndiGo flight 6E 1275 operating from Mumbai to Muscat had received a bomb threat. As per protocol, the aircraft was taken to an isolated bay, and following the standard operating procedure, mandatory security checks were promptly initiated,” the Gurugram-headquartered budget airline said in a statement.
On the Mumbai-Jeddah flight, it said, “The flight had received a bomb threat. As per protocol, the aircraft was taken to an isolated bay, and following the standard operating procedures, mandatory security checks were promptly initiated.” IndiGo, however, did not share other specific details such as the number of persons on board or the status of the two flights.
According to the live flight tracking website Flightradar24.Com, the Muscat flight, which was to depart at 2 am on Monday, took off for its destination at 9.15 am, after a delay of more than 7 hours, while flight 6E-57 (Mumbai-Jeddah) was scheduled to depart at 2.05 am and was showing an estimated departure at 12.15 pm.
Not just planes, a train, the Mumbai-Howrah Mail (train no 12809, superfast train from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CMST) to Kolkata’s HWH) received a threat to blow up the train with a timer bomb. No suspicious objects were found during the checking. After this, the train continued its journey to its destination, CPRO, Central Central Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer said.
Earlier on October 5, Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar International Airport located in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore received a bomb threat email following which the police registered an FIR. The mail sender also threatened to blow up other airports in the country. Similarly, Vadodara Airport received a bomb threat via email, which promoted a thorough search on October 5. Meanwhile, security has been tightened following the received threat and authorities are currently investigating the matter.
