Air India flight checked for bomb after call, turns out to be hoax

An Air India aircraft was on Sunday thoroughly checked for a bomb after a threat call was received by police, which claimed that a bomb was planted in the flight but it later turned out to be hoax, officials said.

An Air India aircraft was on Sunday thoroughly checked for a bomb after a threat call was received by police, which claimed that a bomb was planted in the flight but it later turned out to be hoax, officials said.

The threat call turned out to be a hoax. (Vipin KUmar/ HT Photo)

“Calangute police received a call about a bomb planted in the flight AI516 flying from Delhi to Goa,” a senior Airports Authority of India (AAI) official told PTI.

“After receiving the call upon the flight’s take-off, police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), AAI officials and the bomb disposal squad were summoned,” he said.

“The plane, which was carrying 89 passengers and 7 crew members, upon landing at Vasco at 2PM, was moved towards the Indian Navy apron, and checked thoroughly for the presence of a bomb,” he said.

However, the plane was cleared for further operations as the call turned out to be a hoax, he said.

Meanwhile, minutes after the incident, an unclaimed baggage found outside a terminal caused panic for a few minutes at the airport.

“Immediately, bomb disposal squad and dog squad were summoned and the baggage was checked. However, the owner turned up in the meantime and claimed it,” he said.