Bomb threat forces Indian flight bound for London to declare emergency

An Air India flight from Mumbai to London declared an emergency onboard after receiving a bomb threat an hour before landing today. The incident added to a series of bomb threats targeting multiple flights this week, according to NDTV.

As per the Indian media, the Air India flight AI129, which departed from Mumbai at 7:05 am IST, was en route to London when the emergency was declared.

The aircraft was “squawking 7700,” a code used by pilots to indicate a general emergency.

Flight tracking website FlightRadar24 showed the Boeing 777 circling over East England before landing safely at Heathrow Airport at 12:05 pm UK time.

This bomb threat was just one of several reported today.

In total, five Air India flights, two Vistara flights, and two IndiGo flights received bomb threats, marking the fourth consecutive day of such incidents.

In total, 20 aircraft have been targeted by bomb threats in the past four days.

Among the affected flights was a Vistara flight from Frankfurt to Mumbai, which carried 147 passengers.

Upon landing, the aircraft was taken to an isolation bay at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, where passengers disembarked and a thorough security check was conducted.

A Vistara spokesperson stated, “We are fully cooperating with the security agencies to complete the mandatory security checks. The safety and security of our customers, crew, and aircraft are of utmost importance.”

Similarly, an IndiGo flight from Istanbul to Mumbai also received a bomb threat and was isolated for security checks upon arrival in Mumbai.

In response to the ongoing threats, the Ministry of Home Affairs has instructed the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to remain on high alert at airports.

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu emphasized that passenger safety is the government’s top priority, saying, “We are committed to maintaining the highest security standards.”

The Home Ministry has requested a detailed report from the Civil Aviation Ministry on the bomb scare incidents.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will prepare a report based on inputs from the affected airlines. A Parliamentary Standing Committee met to address the issue, followed by discussions between the Civil Aviation Ministry and DGCA officials.

To address the crisis, airlines have proposed measures such as adding individuals who issue bomb threats to the ‘Unruly Passengers’ list and banning them from flying for up to five years. The Civil Aviation Ministry is expected to release new guidelines soon.