In a wave of alarming security threats, ten Indian flights, including an Air India service from Delhi to Chicago, were targeted with bomb scare messages over the last 48 hours.
The incidents have prompted security agencies to initiate heightened counter-terror drills at various airports across the country.
Among the ten flights affected, the Air India flight to Chicago, carrying 211 passengers, was forced to divert to Iqaluit, Canada, following a bomb threat posted on social media.
The other flights affected included both domestic and international services operated by Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Akasa Air, Alliance Air, and Air India Express.
The threats emerged from messages posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) and were directed at airlines through various handles, now suspended by the platform.
On Monday, three international flights originating from Mumbai were threatened, which security agencies later declared as hoaxes. However, on Tuesday, seven additional threats were posted, increasing the anxiety among passengers and airline staff alike.
A spokesperson for Air India Express confirmed that the airline, along with several others, had received a "specific security threat" from an unverified social media handle.
"In response, security protocols were promptly activated as directed by the government-appointed Bomb Threat Assessment Committee. The flight landed safely, and the aircraft will be released for operations following all mandated security procedures," the spokesperson said.
The targeted flights included Air India Express flight IX765 from Jaipur to Bengaluru via Ayodhya, SpiceJet flight SG116 from Darbhanga to Mumbai, Akasa Air flight QP1373 from Bagdogra to Bengaluru, Air India flight AI127 from Delhi to Chicago, IndiGo flight 6E98 from Dammam (Saudi Arabia) to Lucknow, Alliance Air flight 9I650 from Amritsar to Dehradun, and Air India Express flight IX684 from Madurai to Singapore.
Singapore scrambles fighter jets to escort bomb-threatened AI Express plane
In the most dramatic instance of the bomb scares, two F-15 fighter jets from the Singapore Air Force were scrambled to escort Air India Express flight IX684, following a bomb threat issued online. The aircraft, carrying passengers from Madurai to Singapore, was safely guided away from populated areas before landing at Singapore’s Changi Airport.
Singapore’s Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen confirmed the incident in a post on X, saying, “Two of our RSAF F-15SGs scrambled and escorted the plane away from populated areas, to finally land safely at Singapore Changi Airport around 10:04 pm tonight. Investigations are ongoing.”
The bomb threat, received via email by Air India Express, led to immediate emergency measures. The aircraft underwent thorough security checks before it was cleared for operations.
Security agencies respond to multiple threats
Airline officials and security agencies across India sprang into action, carrying out anti-terror drills in response to the bomb threats. At Mumbai airport, SpiceJet flight SG116 was directed to an isolation bay after it landed safely.
An Akasa Air spokesperson said their Bagdogra-Bengaluru flight also received a security alert on board. “The captain followed all required emergency procedures and landed safely at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru. All passengers were deplaned, and local authorities conducted safety and security checks,” the spokesperson added.
The IndiGo flight from Dammam to Lucknow was diverted to Jaipur, where it was similarly sent to an isolation bay. Meanwhile, Alliance Air confirmed that precautionary measures were taken for their Amritsar-Dehradun flight, with security checks underway at Dehradun airport.
Officials at the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) revealed that the X handle issuing these threats tagged the respective airlines and some police departments, claiming that bombs were placed on board these flights.
Four separate X handles had also issued threats to the three international flights originating from Mumbai on Monday. These messages were declared hoaxes after thorough checks by security agencies and airline operators.
In response to the threats, the BCAS sought the assistance of Indian cyber-security agencies and local police to trace the individuals or groups responsible for the messages.
The social media platform has since suspended the accounts involved in the threats, but investigations are continuing to determine the source and motive behind the scare.
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