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Air India, IndiGo among 7 flights receiving simultaneous hoax bomb threats via X
As many as seven flights, including a Chicago-bound Air India flight, received bomb threats on Tuesday, raising concerns over air travel.
Seven flights, including an Air India aircraft headed to Chicago, received bomb threat messages through a social media handle on Tuesday, leading to disruptions and safety concern.
The bomb threats led to security agencies carrying out prompt counter-terrorist drills at various airports, leading to delays in the flight schedule, reported PTI.
The threats were received by airlines via an X handle, just a day after three flights taking off from Mumbai received hoax bomb threats causing major inconvenience for passengers and airlines staff.
The seven flights that were targeted by the X handle were - an Air India Express flight from Jaipur to Bengaluru via Ayodhya (IX765), a SpiceJet flight from Darbhanga to Mumbai (SG116), an Akasa Air flight from Bagdogra to Bengaluru (QP 1373), an Air India flight from Delhi to Chicago (AI 127), an Indigo flight from Dammam (Saudi Arabia) to Lucknow (6E 98), an Alliance Air Amritsar-Dehradun-Delhi flight (9I 650) and an Air India Express flight (IX 684) from Madurai to Singapore.
Soon after the bomb threats were flagged, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) wrote to cyber security agencies and the X handle issuing the threats was suspended.
Read more: Chicago-bound Air India flight receives bomb threat, diverted to Canada
An Air India Express spokesperson told PTI in a statement that they, along with a few other operators, received a "specific" security threat from an unverified social media handle.
The Air India spokesperson said, “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.”
While the Air India flight headed to Chicago was diverted to Canada, the SpiceJet aircraft taking off from Darbhanga landed safely in Mumbai. The aircraft was cleared after thorough security checks.
After all necessary security checks and anti-terror protocols, the bomb threats were declared fake, reported PTI.
The suspect X handle tagged the respective airlines' and some police handles, claiming that bombs were placed on these planes. Sources told PTI that four different X handles issued similar threats to international flights heading out of Mumbai on Monday.
Officials said the BCAS has sought the help of Indian cyber-security agencies and police to trace the person or people behind these threats.
