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Air India Flight To London Cleared After Bomb Threat, Suspect In Custody

The Air India call center in Mumbai received a bomb threat call early on Tuesday targeting flight AI 149, which was set to depart from Cochin to London Gatwick.

<div class="paragraphs"><p>An Air India aircraft waiting on the runway (Photographer: Vijay Sartape/NDTV Profit)</p></div>
An Air India aircraft waiting on the runway (Photographer: Vijay Sartape/NDTV Profit)

An Air India flight bound for London received a bomb threat on Tuesday, but no explosives were found. Authorities apprehended a suspect linked to the threat, according to a Cochin International Airport spokesperson.

The Air India call centre in Mumbai received a bomb threat call early on Tuesday, targeting flight AI 149, which was set to depart from Cochin to London Gatwick.

The Bomb Threat Assessment Committee was informed at 01:22 hours at Cochin International Airport and promptly convened to evaluate the threat as being specific. The security personnel conducted extensive checks on the aircraft and found no signs of danger, allowing the flight to depart as planned.

The check-in for AI 149 was finished by 10:30 a.m. The flight is set to depart on time at 11:50 a.m.

Efforts were made to identify the caller who reported the threat to the Mumbai call center. Investigations revealed the call was made by Suhaib (29), a native of Kondotty in Malappuram district in Kerala, who was scheduled to travel to London on the AI 149 flight.

Suhaib, along with his wife and daughter, was intercepted by ASG at Cochin Airport's international departure terminal during check-in. "He has since been handed over to the police for further questioning and legal action," the spokesperson said in a statement.

(With inputs from PTI.)

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