Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: An IndiGo flight travelling from Kuwait to Hyderabad was diverted to Mumbai on December 2 following a bomb threat received via email. The threat message, reportedly sent to authorities at Hyderabad Airport, warned of an explosive device onboard the aircraft. The Airbus operating as flight 6E1234, carrying 228 passengers and six crew members, made an emergency landing at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai around 6.30 a.m. Following standard protocol, the airport activated its emergency response and deployed security teams, including bomb disposal squads and fire personnel, ahead of the aircraft’s landing.
Airport officials confirmed that the Air Traffic Control (ATC) received an intimation of the threat early morning and coordinated with the airline and security agencies for the diversion. An official statement from IndiGo regarding the incident is still awaited.
This latest threat comes amid a recent surge in hoax alerts targeting schools, flights, and public facilities across the country. Earlier, on December 1, a private school in Mira Road, Thane district, received an email claiming a bomb had been planted on the premises. Police conducted an extensive search, only to determine the warning was false. On November 23, a Bahrain-Hyderabad flight was rerouted to Mumbai after Rajiv Gandhi International Airport authorities received a bomb threat. That alert also turned out to be a hoax. Similarly, on May 7, a bomb threat was received via a phone call to the Sahar Airport hotline in Mumbai, warning of an explosive on board an IndiGo flight, sources said. Notably, it came after India had initiated strikes on nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Authorities had launched an emergency response, with security agencies conducting checks. “Flight 6E 6382 operating from Chandigarh to Mumbai received a bomb threat. As per protocol, the aircraft was taken to an isolation bay, passengers disembarked safely, and all standard operating procedures were followed. We deeply appreciate the patience, understanding, and cooperation of our customers. The safety of our customers is our highest priority, and we remain dedicated to ensuring a secure and smooth travel experience for all,” the airline had said in its statement.
