Did a Bomb Threat Force the Madinah-Hyderabad Flight to Divert to Ahmedabad?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Bomb threats can cause significant disruptions to air travel.
- Authorities take immediate action for passenger safety.
- Thorough inspections are conducted to ensure aircraft safety.
- Frequent bomb threats highlight the need for enhanced security measures.
- Passengers are encouraged to report any suspicious activities.
Hyderabad, Dec 4 (NationPress) A bomb threat prompted authorities to reroute the IndiGo flight en route to Hyderabad from Madinah, Saudi Arabia, to Ahmedabad on Thursday, according to officials.
The flight 6E58, carrying 180 passengers and six crew members, landed safely at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad around 12:30 p.m.
IndiGo reportedly received an email containing a bomb threat while the flight was in mid-air. As Ahmedabad was the closest airport, the authorities opted to divert the flight there as a precautionary step.
Upon landing, personnel from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), along with local police and a bomb disposal squad, conducted a comprehensive inspection of the aircraft but found nothing suspicious.
According to Flightradar24, the flight, which was an Airbus A320, took off at 5:29 a.m. from the Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Madinah, departing later than its scheduled time of 2:10 a.m.
The flight was expected to arrive at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad at around 12:30 p.m.
This incident took place amid numerous flight cancellations involving IndiGo at various airports, including Hyderabad.
This diversion marks the second occurrence within three days. On December 2, another IndiGo flight from Kuwait to Hyderabad was redirected to Mumbai after a bomb threat was reported to authorities at Hyderabad Airport.
Flight 6E-1234 was diverted midair following a threat message received at the customer support of Rajiv Gandhi International Airport.
This flight, which had 235 passengers, safely landed at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) after an emergency diversion.
Following its landing, the aircraft was moved to a secure area in accordance with emergency protocols. CISF personnel and bomb disposal teams performed a thorough check, ensuring the safety of all passengers and crew.
Earlier, on November 23, a Gulf Air flight from Bahrain to Hyderabad was also diverted to Mumbai due to a bomb threat received at Hyderabad Airport.
Flight GF274, carrying 154 passengers, was redirected to Mumbai Airport after an email indicated a bomb had been placed on board. Subsequent security checks revealed the threat was a hoax. The flight later resumed its journey from Mumbai and arrived safely at Hyderabad Airport.