Bomb Threats: What’s Really Happening?

Many flights in India got bomb threats on board today causing big scares and emergency actions. Some flights of Vistara and Akasa Air got bomb threat calls as the airlines’ spokespeople said they started emergency landing protocols. Indigo Airlines received six bomb threats today, adding to a growing number of similar threats in the past week. The airline has issued a press statement assuring the passenger safety. The people in charge quickly activated emergency plans and Pilots landed planes early before reaching their planned destinations.

What’s really happening?

A series of fake bomb threats have disrupted air travel in India which affected over 70 domestic and international flights this week. Multiple flights received bomb threats that prompted the authority’s emergency landings and investigations. Airlines like Air India Express, Air India, Vistara, IndiGo and Akasa Air were targeted with these hoax bomb threats.

Air India Express had at least seven flights receive bomb threats. Two Air India flights also faced similar threats as one flight from Mumbai to London was escorted by a Royal Air Force fighter jet due to a hoax bomb threat. Vistara had six flights targeted including international routes and Akasa Air had multiple flights receive security alerts. On Monday, over 50 flights received hoax bomb threats.

Also, read| Hoax Bomb Threats To Flights: Teenage Boy In Custody

Vistara’s Delhi-London flight of October 18 was diverted to Frankfurt late Friday night. On Saturday morning, the airline spokesperson said that the flight landed safely at the Frankfurt airport and mandatory checks are being conducted by the assigned ones.

The bomb threats received over the past few days had followed the same pattern as messages from unverified and anonymous accounts on social media platform X. However, all the threats were discovered to be fake upon police investigation. Also, 10 social media accounts that issued hoax bomb threats to multiple airlines this week have been suspended or blocked by cyber security agencies till now.

Read also: Security Alert: Bengaluru-Bound Akasa Flight Returns To Delhi

A teenage boy was arrested on Monday on account of allegedly issuing hoax bomb threat calls to three flights. He created a fake ID on the social media platform X in the name of his friend with whom he had a dispute and posted threats from it.

A senior official from the airline had said that such hoax calls had made strong impacts on finances but they have no option but to take them seriously. Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu said he was closely monitoring the situation and ensuring that every necessary measure was taken against such actions. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation suggested measures like putting hoax callers on the no-fly list for five years and recovering losses from accused individuals.