NEW DELHI: A day after an American Airlines flight en route from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to the Indira Gandhi International Airport in the capital was forced to make an emergency landing in Rome following a mid-air bomb threat, the Delhi Police has registered an FIR in connection with the incident.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGI Airport) Usha Rangnani on Monday said that the threat was received via email on February 23. "Following standard security protocols, the flight was diverted and safely landed in Rome, Italy. A complaint was later filed by the airline and an FIR has been registered in connection with the incident," the DCP confirmed.
The case has been lodged under Sections 217 (false information) and 351(4) (criminal intimidation by anonymous communication) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 3 of the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against Safety of Civil Aviation Act at IGI airport police station.
Security agencies are now in overdrive, probing the origins of the threat and ensuring the safety of future air travel.
The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, carrying 199 passengers and 15 crew members, was midway over the Caspian Sea when the situation took a dramatic turn. Flight tracking data revealed that the aircraft, scheduled for a 14-hour journey, made a sudden reversal near the Black Sea, setting a new course for Rome's Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (FCO).
As the plane approached Italian airspace, fighter jets were scrambled to escort the aircraft—a chilling indication of the severity of the threat. The flight finally landed safely at 5:30 pm local time, where it was immediately secured by Italian law enforcement.
Following an extensive security sweep, American Airlines confirmed the development and said that the aircraft was cleared to continue its journey. "Flight 292 was inspected by law enforcement and cleared to re-depart," the airline said in a statement.
However, the mystery behind the bomb threat remains unsolved. This incident adds to a growing list of mid-air bomb threats that have rattled the aviation industry in recent months, including several involving Indian carriers like Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Vistara.