Akasa, IndiGo, SpiceJet Flights Receive Bomb Threats; 12 Threats In Past Three Days

An Akasa Air flight en route to Bengaluru was forced to turn back to Delhi following a bomb threat received shortly after takeoff on Wednesday, NDTV reported. The flight, which departed from the Indira Gandhi International Airport, returned as a precautionary measure.

An Akasa Air spokesperson stated that flight QP 1335 was carrying 177 passengers, including three infants, along with seven crew members.

Similarly, IndiGo's flight 6E 651 from Mumbai to Delhi was diverted to Ahmedabad, as per NDTV. An IndiGo spokesperson confirmed that the aircraft was isolated, and all passengers were safely disembarked.

SpiceJet's X handle received a direct message regarding a bomb threat related to two flights, the company's spokesperson stated on Wednesday. The airline promptly informed the authorities and adhered to established safety protocols.

All passengers were safely disembarked from both aircraft. Following thorough checks and necessary approvals from the authorities, the aircraft were cleared for further operations, it added.

These incidents are part of a trend, as 12 flights in the last 72 hours have faced a series of similar hoax threats.

A Parliamentary Standing Committee was convened at 11 a.m. to address the issue at hand. This followed a meeting led by Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, which included officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

On hoax calls, officials told members of parliament that investigation is underway, and they have identified critical leads in the matter. Authorities are also monitoring the dark web for further information, NDTV reported citing sources.

Seven flights received bomb threats on Tuesday, comprising three international flights and four domestic flights, as per alerts on social media.

These include an Air India Express flight from Bengaluru to Ayodhya (IX765), an Akasa Air plane from Bagdogra to Bengaluru (QP 1373), a SpiceJet flight from Darbhanga to Mumbai (SG116), and Alliance Air Amritsar-Dehradun-Delhi flight (9I 650), NDTV reported.

On Monday, two IndiGo and one Air India flight received hoax threats. These included Air India flight AI119 from Mumbai to New York's JFK Airport, and IndiGo flight 6E1275 bound for Muscat, and flight 6E56 heading to Jeddah.