In yet another case, a hoax bomb threat was received in the national Capital even as the Delhi-Pune Vistara flight was ready for take-off from the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA). The call was received at a GMR Group-run call centre, creating a scare at the airport. The flight, which was scheduled to take off in the morning, was isolated and thoroughly searched by security agencies, however, no suspicious item was found on board, said police.
In a statement, Vistara said flight UK971 had been delayed due to “mandatory security checks”. Delhi Police said a threat call received at the DIAL control room in Gurugram was transferred to them through the CISF. Following the call, search and combing operations were launched.
“The passengers were deboarded and we checked the aircraft from inside and outside but nothing suspicious was found. A case is being registered and further investigation is underway,” the officer said. Flight UK971 was to depart at 8:30 AM. Airport security sources said the airport call centre received a call at 7:38 AM and the caller said that “three bombs have been kept in flight No. UK971 parked at gate No. 42 and they will explode in an hour”. The call got disconnected immediately.
All passengers and crew of the flight were deboarded and anti-sabotage checks were conducted in an isolation bay at IGIA, they said.
A Bomb Threat Assessment Committee (BTAC) was convened and bomb detection equipment and sniffer dogs were pressed into service by the CISF while passengers’ luggage was sent for a re-check, they added. In its statement, Vistara said it was cooperating with the security agencies.
“We confirm that the flight UK971, scheduled to fly from Delhi to Pune on 18 August 2023, is delayed due to mandatory security checks. In the meanwhile, we are making all efforts to minimize inconvenience to our customers, including offering them refreshments,” it said.