Bomb threat at Terminal 3 of Delhi’s IGI airport, security forces on high alert

The Airport Operations Control Centre, after receiving the email around 11 pm on Thursday, alerted the Delhi Police and other security agencies to look into the incident immediately as soon as the flight lands

Security agencies are on high alert after Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport received an email warning of a bomb on a Delhi-bound flight from Moscow that landed in the wee hours of Friday.

A CISF security jawan at the Indira Gandhi International airport in New Delhi. (Bloomberg File Photo)

However, security personnel are yet to find any bomb on the aircraft, though officials are keeping a strict vigil on the premises.

The Airport Operations Control Centre (AOCC), after receiving the email around 11 pm on Thursday, alerted the Delhi Police and other security agencies to look into the incident immediately as soon as the flight lands.

The flight – SU-232 – eventually landed around 3:20 am, and the passengers were immediately deplaned and the flight was isolated, officials said. The flight had 402 people on board, including 386 passengers and 16 crew members.

“We received a call at 11:15 pm about a bomb in the flight coming from Moscow to Terminal 3 (T3) at 3:20 tonight. Flight number SU232 landed on runway 29,” a police official said.

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) said security agencies were already ready when the flight landed.

“The AOCC conveyed the information that a bomb was placed on the flight. It was immediately emptied out and inspected upon landing, but nothing has been found yet,” said an official.

Agencies are yet to officially declare the email a ‘hoax’, a senior airport official added, stating that a thorough investigation is underway.