Bomb threat on flight to Hong Kong creates scare at Delhi airport, declared hoax
The call was received Delhi’s IGI Airport at 11:42 pm on Thursday. By 1:17 am on Friday, the call was declared hoax after a thorough security check.
Security forces at Delhi airport went into a tizzy late on Thursday night after receiving bomb threat on a phone call which later turned out to be a hoax.
The call was received at 11.42pm on Thursday.
“I have got information for you... I overheard some people talking. There is a plane going to Hong Kong. I think there is explosive on that plane, which is taking off in next 10-15 minutes. People are going to die,” the caller said.
When pressed for more details, the caller refused, saying he feared for his life, and disconnected the phone.
Immediately, a bomb threat assessment committee was formed.
“Random checking was done by explosive trace detectors and some baggage were checked physically. On some suspicious passengers, pat-down search was carried out, and regular sweeping of the airport was done to check for any unattended bag,” said a CISF official requesting anonymity.
The security committee also asked the flights going to Hong Kong to start Secondary Ladder Point Checking (SLPC), which is conducted just before the passenger enters the plane and is done when threat is at the highest level.
SLPC was conducted by Cathay Pacific and China Eastern flights, which were departing next.
The official said an Air India flight that had already departed for Hong Kong was informed about the threat.
However, by 1.17am, the call was declared a hoax. A case has been registered and police are trying to trace the caller.
For some time, passengers running late for flights make hoax call to delay the departure. The CISF identified such last-minute passengers and a bomb squad did an anti-sabotage check.
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