Wave of False Bomb Threats Disrupts Over 10 Indian Flights

In the last 48 hours, over 10 Indian flights have been disrupted by false bomb threats, causing significant delays and flight diversions.

On Tuesday, Singapore’s Air Force deployed two fighter jets to escort an Air India Express aircraft away from populated regions due to a bomb threat.

Earlier that day, an Air India flight from Delhi to Chicago made an emergency landing at a Canadian airport as a precaution. While hoax bomb threats to airlines are not uncommon in India, the reason for the recent spike starting Monday remains unclear.

On Monday, threats posted by an X (formerly Twitter) handle led to the diversion or delay of three international flights departing from Mumbai. Authorities have detained a teenager in connection with these threats.

On Tuesday, seven flights, including two Air India planes, were affected by similar threats from another X handle, which has since been suspended. Screenshots reveal the user tagged the airlines and local police, specifying flight numbers.

Air India announced its cooperation with authorities to identify the culprits and mentioned potential legal action to recover incurred damages.

All Indian airports have a Bomb Threat Assessment Committee to evaluate and respond to threats. This can involve bomb disposal squads, sniffer dogs, ambulances, police, and medical personnel.

In response to a threat, passengers, along with their baggage and cargo, are off-loaded and re-screened. Engineering and security teams thoroughly search the aircraft before it is cleared to resume flying. Such delays can result in significant financial losses for airlines and security agencies.

For international flights, these incidents can involve foreign agencies, as seen with Singapore and Canada. On Tuesday, Singapore’s defence minister reported that two fighter jets escorted an Air India Express flight from Madurai to Singapore, which landed safely at Changi Airport.

Ng Eng Hen wrote, “Once on the ground, the plane was handed to the Airport Police. Investigations are ongoing.”

Frances Ibiefo

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