At least 19 Indian flights have received hoax bomb threats since Monday, causing lengthy delays and diversions.
On Wednesday, an Alkasa Air flight bound for Bengaluru was diverted to the capital Delhi after receiving a bomb threat.
On Tuesday, the Singapore Air Force dispatched two fighter jets Escorting Air India Express plane after bomb threat.
A few hours ago, an Air India flight from Delhi to Chicago had to land at a Canadian airport as a precautionary measure.
IndiGo and SpiceJet are also among the affected airlines.
Hoax bomb threats against airlines are not uncommon in India, but it is unclear what triggered the sudden surge since Monday.
On Wednesday, India’s civil aviation minister said the ministry was closely monitoring the situation and “making every effort” to ensure flight operations.
“We are committed to maintaining the highest safety standards and passenger safety remains our top priority,” Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said in X’s statement.
News agency ANI quoted a senior home ministry official as saying that more security personnel would be deployed on “sensitive routes”, but the government has yet to officially confirm this.
Officials from the government’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation and Civil Aviation Safety Authority did not respond to emails from the BBC seeking comment.
On Monday, three international flights from Mumbai were diverted or delayed after threats posted by X, formerly Twitter. Police have detained a teenager in connection with the incident.
On Tuesday, seven flights, including two Air India aircraft, were affected by threats issued by another X handle, which has now been suspended. Screenshots of some posts show users tagging airlines and local police and mentioning flight numbers.
Air India said in a statement statement It is working with authorities to identify those behind the threats and will consider legal action to recover the damage caused.
Every Indian airport has a bomb threat assessment committee that assesses the severity of the threat and takes action accordingly. Threats may result in the involvement of bomb squads, sniffer dogs, ambulances, police and doctors.
Passengers are removed from the aircraft along with their carry-on baggage, checked baggage and cargo and are inspected again. Engineering and security teams will also search the aircraft before it is cleared to fly again.
The resulting delays could cost airlines and safety agencies thousands of dollars.
For flights to other countries, this could also lead to the involvement of international agencies, such as Singapore and Canada.
On Tuesday, Singapore’s defense minister said two of Singapore’s fighter jets “scrambled and escorted” the Air India Express away from densely populated areas before landing safely at Changi Airport. The plane was flying from Madurai, India to Singapore.
“As soon as the plane landed, it was handed over to the airport police. The investigation is ongoing,” Huang Yonghong wrote.
The plane then landed safely at Changi Airport.
In Canada, an Air India flight bound for Chicago has landed at Iqaluit Airport as a precaution – Royal Canadian Mounted Police explain It is investigating the threat.
Air India said on Wednesday that a Canadian Air Force aircraft was flying passengers to Chicago. It was unclear when the Air India plane would be allowed to take off.
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