Singapore fighter jets, Canada landing: Plight of 7 flights after hoax bomb threats

An Air India Express plane had to be escorted away from populated areas by Singapore fighter jets while an Air India plane from Delhi to Chicago landed in a remote airport in Canada on Tuesday (October 15), thanks to hoax bomb threats sent from a social media handle.

As many as seven flights received hoax bomb threats during the day, including the Air India Express flight (IX 684) from Madurai to Singapore and the Air India Delhi-Chicago (AI127) flight.

The others were an Akasa Air flight from Bagdogra to Bengaluru, an Ayodhya-Bengaluru Air India Express flight, a SpiceJet flight from Darbhanga to Mumbai (SG116), a Dammam-Lucknow IndiGo flight, and an Alliance Air Amritsar-Dehradun-Delhi flight (9I 650).

These came a day after an Air India and two IndiGo flights received fake threats. The Mumbai Police have served a notice to a teenage boy, his father, and another person from Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh, asking them to join questioning in connection with bomb threats posted on social media targeting the three flights.

Also read: Hoax bomb threats affect 500 passengers on 3 flights from Mumbai

Singapore jets

On Tuesday, Air India Express received an email that there was a bomb on board flight AXB684 that was bound for Singapore from Madurai, Singapore’s Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said.

“Two of our RSAF F-15SGs scrambled and escorted the plane away from populated areas, to finally land safely at Singapore Changi Airport at around 10.04 pm tonight,” he said in a series of posts on X.

The Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) systems and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) were also activated. Once on the ground, the plane was handed to the airport police, he said and added that investigations are going on.

“Many thanks to the dedication and professionalism of our SAF and Home Team that keep us safe in our homes, even when threats exist around us,” he said. SAF refers to Singapore Armed Forces.

The number of passengers onboard the aircraft could not be immediately ascertained. There was no immediate statement from Air India Express on the incident.

Flight diverted to Canada

On the other hand, the Air India plane carrying 211 people from Delhi to Chicago was diverted to a remote airport in Canada following a bomb threat.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said the flight made an emergency landing at Iqaluit, Nunavut, and all the 211 passengers and the crew disembarked.

Air India said flight AI127 operating from Delhi to Chicago on October 15 was the subject of a security threat posted online and, as a precautionary measure, has landed at Iqaluit Airport in Canada.

The flight was operated with a Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft.

Watch: 'No emergency landing': Air India Trichy fiasco throws up stunning new details

Aircraft re-screened

“The aircraft and passengers are being re-screened as per the laid-down security protocol. Air India has activated agencies at the airport to assist the passengers until such time that their journey can resume,” the airline said in a statement to PTI.

Officials said the flight received a bomb threat.

Around 12.40 am (IST) Wednesday, one of the officials said local agencies were carrying out security checks of the aircraft. The passengers were in a temperature-controlled area at the airport and had been served refreshments and food, the official added.

In a post on X at 1230 am (IST), Air India said colleagues at the airport are working to arrange the best alternative flight for the passengers to reach their destination at the earliest.

All threats taken seriously

In its statement issued earlier in the day, the RCMP said, “All 211 passengers and crew disembarked the aircraft and were relocated to the Iqaluit International airport.”

Air India, in the statement, also said that the carrier as well as other local airlines have been subject to a number of threats in recent days.

“Though all have subsequently been found to be hoaxes, as a responsible airline operator all threats are taken seriously. The inconvenience to customers is sincerely regretted,” it said.

Carrier considers legal action

Furthermore, the airline said it was extending all cooperation to authorities in identifying the perpetrators of such threats to ensure that they are held accountable for the disruption and inconvenience caused to passengers.

Air India also said it would consider legal action against those responsible to recover damages incurred by the airline.

Following standard security protocols, a thorough inspection was conducted and no suspicious item was found inside the aircraft.

Watch: Air India flight en route to Sharjah stuck mid-air; 3D visuals show aircraft doing rounds

Jaipur emergency landing

Also on Tuesday, an IndiGo flight from Saudi Arabia, with 182 people onboard, made an emergency landing in Jaipur following a bomb threat.

The flight with 174 passengers and eight crew members took off from Dammam airport in Saudi Arabia and was scheduled to land at Lucknow airport. It was diverted to Jaipur and taken to the isolation bay and a security check was conducted though nothing suspicious was found.

Teenager served notice

Monday’s threats to the three flights from Mumbai were received through a post on the micro-blogging platform X. Mumbai Police have said the handle is being verified.

Mumbai Police have served a notice to a teenage boy, his father, and another person from Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh, asking them to join questioning in connection with the bomb threats.

While a New York-bound Air India flight was diverted to New Delhi and rescheduled, the other two, both operated by IndiGo, one headed to Muscat and the other to Jeddah, were delayed by several hours.

Nothing suspicious was found on any of the planes, police officials had said.

Case registered

After receiving information about the tweet’s connection with Rajnandgaon, Raipur Cyber Cell, Kotwali Police Rajnandgaon, and Cyber Cell, collected electronic data related to the case, he said.

Mumbai Police have registered a case against an unknown person and the X handle.

“A team of Mumbai Police reached Rajnandgaon on Monday. With the help of Rajnandgaon Police, a notice was issued to a 17-year-old boy, who is a resident of Rajnandgaon city, his father, and the person whose X account was used. They were summoned for questioning and further action to Mumbai,” Rajnandgaon SP Mohit Garg told the media.

(With agency inputs)