CHENNAI: A bomb threat on an IndiGo flight from Hyderabad to Chennai triggered a security alert at Chennai airport on Friday after an airline staff member discovered a handwritten warning inside the aircraft's toilet.
The message, written on a piece of tissue paper and stuck to a mirror, read “BOOM – 1.50 PM”. The staff member immediately alerted the pilot, who informed Chennai airport's Air Traffic Control (ATC).
The aircraft was carrying 192 passengers and six crew members and was flying at an altitude of around 32,000 feet when the message was discovered.
Following the alert, security arrangements were stepped up at Chennai airport. The flight, which was scheduled to land around 1 pm, made an emergency landing at 12.58 pm and was directed to a remote parking bay.
A bomb disposal team, accompanied by sniffer dogs, searched the aircraft. Passengers and their baggage were also subjected to security checks.
The search operation continued for more than an hour, but no explosive device was found. Security personnel kept the aircraft under observation until the time mentioned in the threatening message.
With no suspicious object detected and no untoward incident reported by 2.30 pm, officials declared the threat a hoax.
Chennai airport police have registered a case and launched an investigation to identify the person responsible for placing the threatening message inside the aircraft.
(With inputs from media agencies)