More flights get fake bomb threats; Singapore scrambles fighter jets after threat to Air India Express flight from Madurai

Photo used for representation purpose only.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

Singapore scrambled two F-15 fighter jets after an Air India Express flight from Madurai to Singapore received a bomb threat, while another Air India flight from Delhi to Chicago flight was diverted to Iqaluit airport in Canada on a day there were atleast six threats received for various Indian airlines.

Four of these threat calls that were issued for flights headed to an Indian destination were declared hoax by security agencies.

“Air India Express received an email that there was a bomb on board flight AXB684 that was bound for Singapore. Two of our RSAF F-15SGs scrambled and escorted the plane away from populated areas, to finally land safely at Singapore Changi Airport at around 10:04pm tonight,” Singapore’s Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen posted on X.

Singapore also activated its Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) systems and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD). The plane was handed over to the Airport Police once it landed,

There were also threats received for Air India’/ Delhi to Chicago flight, Akasa’s Bagdogra to Bengaluru flight, Air India Express’s Jaipur to Ayodhya flight, IndiGo’s Dammam to Lucknow flight and SpiceJet’s Darbhanga to Mumbai flight.

“The aircraft and passengers are being re-screened as per the laid down security protocol. Air India has activated agencies at the airport to assist the passengers until their journey can resume,” Air India said in a press statement about the diversion to Canada.

Threats were sent through X and e-mail, said a source of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The official added that in most cases there was no flight disruption caused due to the threats. “Aircraft were screened once they arrived at the destination,” the person said.

On Monday (October 14, 2024) too, there were similar bomb threats issued to an Air India flight from Mumbai to New York and two other international flights of IndiGo originating from Mumbai. These too were declared to be hoaxes by the security agencies.

Air India, which has faced these threats on two consecutive days on its long-haul international flights, said in the statement that it will consider legal action against those responsible for the hoax threats to recover damages incurred by the airline.

Akasa Air said that the Bagdogra flight landed in Bengaluru at 1.40pm, and the aircraft was released for flight operations after security checks and screening. SpiceJet’s aircraft was also cleared for flights by security teams, the airline said.