An IndiGo flight from Mumbai to Phuket was diverted to Chennai, India after a bomb threat claimed explosives were onboard, prompting a full security response.
The aircraft, carrying 176 passengers and six crew members, had taken off from Mumbai yesterday, September 19, before the scare unfolded. Midway through the journey, Mumbai airport staff received a call from an unidentified person who claimed that explosives were hidden inside the aircraft’s lavatory. The caller warned that the plane would explode mid-air before abruptly hanging up.
Mumbai airport officials immediately relayed the threat to Chennai Air Traffic Control, prompting the flight to divert. The Airbus landed safely at Chennai airport at 7.20pm, where emergency protocols swung into action.
All passengers were swiftly evacuated and escorted to waiting areas inside the terminal while security forces surrounded the plane. Bomb disposal squads, along with commando units and airport security teams, carried out extensive searches of the aircraft.
So far, officials have confirmed that no suspicious items were found, and the incident is now suspected to be a hoax.
“Comprehensive checks are still underway, but initial inspections suggest this was a false alarm.”
The mid-air diversion caused delays for passengers, many of whom were left shaken by the ordeal. Airport officials confirmed that the flight will only be cleared to resume its journey to Phuket once exhaustive security checks are completed.
Incidents of hoax bomb threats have become a growing concern for Indian aviation officials, as they not only disrupt flight schedules but also pose serious risks by triggering emergency responses. Each threat, whether genuine or not, requires full-scale intervention involving multiple agencies.
While no injuries were reported in yesterday’s scare, the episode has once again highlighted the vulnerability of commercial flights to anonymous threats. The caller behind the hoax has yet to be identified, but investigations are underway to track the source of the call, reported DT Next.
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