An Air India Express flight was compelled to conduct an emergency landing today due to a bomb threat received mid-air. The aircraft, carrying 176 passengers from Mumbai to Varanasi, caused heightened security measures at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi. After landing safely, the plane was promptly relocated to an isolated area.
Following the incident, a bomb disposal squad thoroughly searched the aircraft but found no suspicious items. An Air India Express spokesperson stated that upon receiving the security threat, the necessary security protocols were initiated immediately. All passengers were safely disembarked after landing, and the aircraft will resume operations once all required security checks are completed.
In a separate event earlier today, IndiGo airline also encountered a similar situation when an email threatening to detonate explosives at five airports circulated. As a result, heightened security measures were implemented at major airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram, and Hyderabad.
The email threat is currently under investigation by the government-appointed Bomb Threat Assessment Committee.
Air India Express, a budget carrier wholly owned by Air India, specializes in domestic and short- to medium-haul international flights.
