Official sources said that bomb threat messages were received by five flights, one of them heading to the United States, via a social media account on Tuesday. This led security agencies to conduct targeted counter-terrorism exercises at different airports. The dangers on microblogging platform X occurred one day following bomb threats made towards three international flights departing from Mumbai, disrupting the travel plans of numerous passengers and airline staff. The messages shared on Monday were announced as false. Two additional flights were threatened on Tuesday, but a confirmation was still pending.
According to reports, a Twitter account named X made threats on Tuesday towards five different flights, including Air India Express flight IX765 from Jaipur to Bengaluru via Ayodhya, SpiceJet flight SG116 from Darbhanga to Mumbai, Akasa Air flight QP1373 from Bagdogra to Bengaluru, Air India flight AI127 from Delhi to Chicago, and Indigo flight 6E98 from Dammam to Lucknow.
According to a statement to PTI from an Air India Express spokesperson, they, along with some other operators, were warned of a “specific” security threat from an unverified social media account. As instructed by the government-appointed Bomb Threat Assessment Committee, security protocols were quickly implemented. The plane safely landed and will be cleared for operations after following all required security procedures, a spokesperson stated.
The SpiceJet plane safely touched down at Mumbai Airport and was guided to an isolation bay as a precaution. All travelers exited the aircraft without incident, and security agencies were promptly informed. Following extensive security checks, the aircraft has been approved for continuation of operations,” stated a spokesperson from SpiceJet.
A representative from Akasa Air stated that there was a security alert on their flight. The captain adhered to all necessary emergency protocols and successfully landed at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru at 13:39 hours. The spokesperson confirmed that all passengers were removed from the plane and safety checks were conducted by local authorities before the aircraft was cleared to resume operations.
The Air India flight was rerouted to the Iqaluit airport in Canada due to a security threat that was posted online. The airplane and travelers are undergoing another security check as per the established protocol. An Al spokesperson stated that Air India has set up agencies at the airport to help passengers until their journey can continue.
Indigo acknowledged being aware of an issue with flight 6E 98 from Dammam to Lucknow, as stated in a release. A spokesperson for the airline stated that the top priority is the safety and security of passengers and crew, and they are closely collaborating with authorities and following all necessary precautions as outlined.
The flight from Dammam to Lucknow was redirected to Jaipur airport before landing. An official at the Jaipur airport mentioned that the plane has been moved to a quarantine area. According to sources, the suspect X tweeted to the airline and police, saying that bombs had been placed on the planes.
On Monday, three international flights departing from Mumbai were threatened by four distinct X individuals. The sources stated that all the messages received on Monday were confirmed to be false after security and intelligence agencies, along with airline and airport operators, conducted required anti-terrorist security exercises that are activated in situations involving bomb or hijack threats. Authorities mentioned that the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has enlisted the assistance of Indian cyber-security agencies and law enforcement to identify the individual or group responsible for these threats.