13 in 3 days: Frankfurt-Mumbai Vistara flight makes emergency landing after bomb threat

The hoax bomb threats continues to affect flight operations in India, as a Mumbai-bound Vistara flight with 147 persons on board made an emergency landing in Mumbai on Wednesday upon its arrival from Frankfurt in Germany following a warning about a bomb in the aircraft, a source said.

The Boeing 787 aircraft was immediately taken to the isolation bay for mandatory security checks, according to the source. The flight landed safely at 7.45 am.

This incident comes on the back of a series of bomb threats to flights operated by different airlines over the past two days. The total number of fake bomb warnings has risen to 13 in three days.

Teenager detained

Meanwhile, a 17-year-old boy from Chhattisgarh was detained by the Mumbai Police in connection with bomb hoax threats posted on social media targeting three flights on October 14, a senior officer had said on October 16.

Prima facie, a financial dispute with a shopkeeper prompted the boy to create a social media account on X and post these tweets. Mumbai Police have registered three separate FIRs in connection with the with the bomb hoax threats issued to various airlines on Monday and Tuesday, he said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Zone VIII, Manish Kalvaniya clarified that the minor was not involved in tweeting a message on Tuesday (October 15) when fresh bomb threats were issued.

Also read: 12 bomb threats to airlines in 48 hrs paralyse operations; ‘X’ handle under scrutiny

Vistara Frankfurt case

In the case that has come to light involving the Mumbai-bound Vistara flight from Frankfurt, there were 134 passengers and 13 crew on board the aircraft, as per sources.

"Vistara Frankfurt flight, which had departed for Mumbai from Frankfurt on Tuesday at 8.20 pm (local time) made an emergency landing here at around 7.45 am on Wednesday," a source said.

Vistara, in a statement, said that its Frankfurt-Mumbai flight received a security alert but landed safely in Mumbai.

"The Vistara flight UK 028 operating from Frankfurt to Mumbai on October 16, 2024 was subject to a security threat received on social media," the airline said.

As per the protocol, all relevant authorities were immediately informed, it said, adding the aircraft safely landed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai.

"It was taken to the isolation bay where all customers were disembarked. We are fully cooperating with the security agencies to complete the mandatory security checks," Vistara said in the statement.

Wave of threats

The wave of threats began on Monday (October 14), affecting several domestic and international flights, including an Air India flight from Mumbai to New York and multiple IndiGo flights. Although no bombs were found, the repeated hoax calls have disrupted operations and raised concerns about airline safety.

A parliamentary standing committee was convened on Wednesday morning to address the issue. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu also held discussions with officials from the ministry and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Sources said that some individuals have been identified as potential culprits, and authorities are monitoring the dark web for further leads.

(With inputs from agencies)