New Delhi, Oct 14:
An Air India flight from Frankfurt to Delhi was diverted to Jaipur on Wednesday following a bomb threat and a suspected hijack alert, triggering a major security response at Jaipur International Airport.
Flight AI-2030, operated by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, made an emergency landing at around 9.45 am. The aircraft was diverted as a precaution and moved to an isolation bay for detailed security checks. All 306 passengers on board were reported safe.
According to preliminary reports, the aircraft transmitted Squawk Code 7500 while it was in the Mumbai Flight Information Region. The internationally recognised code indicates hijacking or other unlawful interference with an aircraft. The alert prompted air traffic control and security agencies to initiate emergency procedures and divert the flight to Jaipur.
Airport authorities approached the aircraft cautiously after it landed before allowing passengers to disembark. Passengers and crew members were evacuated in a phased manner and moved to a designated holding area inside the terminal. Their baggage was also subjected to security screening.
Personnel from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), local police and the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) inspected the aircraft and its baggage. The isolation bay was secured while the checks were carried out.
The Jaipur airport authorities alerted the local police about the emergency landing following the security threat. Assistant Commissioner of Police (Malviya Nagar) Shiv Dayal said the aircraft had been escorted to the isolation bay, where security personnel were carrying out checks. The National Security Guard (NSG) was also placed on standby in New Delhi as a precautionary measure.
While initial reports referred to a bomb threat and suspected hijacking, subsequent reports said the bomb threat had turned out to be a hoax. Preliminary information also suggested that the hijack alert might have been triggered inadvertently. The circumstances surrounding the alert remained under investigation.
Air India said passengers were being offered complimentary rescheduling or a full refund if they cancelled their bookings. The incident prompted a heightened security response, although no injuries were reported.
The incident comes amid continued security concerns over bomb threats targeting aircraft. In a similar incident in August, an Air India Express flight from Dammam in Saudi Arabia to Delhi made an emergency landing at Ahmedabad after a tissue paper bearing the word âbombâ was found in the aircraft’s lavatory. All 32 passengers on board were safely deboarded.
Further details about the origin of the threat and the circumstances in which the alert was transmitted were awaited.