Air India Express flight IX-196 from Dubai to Jaipur, carrying 189 passengers, received a bomb threat via email at 12:45 AM on Saturday.
Source: Hindustan Times
Air India Express flight IX-196 from Dubai to Jaipur, carrying 189 passengers, received a bomb threat via email at 12:45 AM on Saturday, according to Jaipur Airport Police SHO Sandeep Basera. The plane landed safely at Jaipur International Airport at 1:20 AM, and after a thorough security check, no suspicious items were found, as reported by news agency ANI, quoting the police officer.
The pattern of bomb threats targeting domestic airlines continued for the sixth consecutive day on Saturday, as authorities suspended or blocked around 10 social media accounts linked to these threats, according to reports.
The latest incident involved an Air India Express flight, following closely after a London-bound Vistara flight from Delhi was diverted to Frankfurt on Friday due to a bomb threat.
In a statement released early Saturday, a Vistara spokesperson confirmed that the flight had landed safely in Frankfurt, where mandatory security checks were being conducted. The flight will proceed to its destination once cleared by authorities. “Vistara flight UK17 operating from Delhi to London on October 18, 2024, received a security threat on social media. Following protocol, all relevant authorities were informed, and the pilots, as a precautionary measure, diverted the flight to Frankfurt,” the spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, Akasa Air reported that its flight QP 1366, scheduled from Bengaluru to Mumbai on Friday, also received a security alert shortly before departure. “In line with safety and security procedures, all passengers were deplaned, and local authorities conducted necessary checks. We appreciate passengers’ understanding as our team worked to minimize inconvenience,” the airline stated on X.
Over the past several days, nearly 40 flights operated by Indian carriers have been subjected to bomb threats, all of which were later confirmed to be hoaxes. The civil aviation ministry is now planning to introduce strict measures to prevent such incidents, including placing offenders on the no-fly list.
On Thursday, four Air India Express flights, two Vistara flights, and one IndiGo flight were among those that received threats. Air India express also reported “several” of their flights received bomb threats, although they did not specify the exact number.
Civil aviation minister K Rammohan Naidu stated that the ministry is considering regulatory amendments to ensure strict action is taken. When asked if there was a conspiracy behind the threats, he responded, “So far, what we know is that these incidents involve individuals, minors, and pranksters.”
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