NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police registered an FIR on Monday, a day after an American Airlines flight from New York to New Delhi made an emergency landing in Rome following a mid-air bomb threat.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGI Airport) Usha Rangnani said the threat was received via email on February 23.
“Following standard security protocols, the flight was diverted and safely landed in Rome, Italy. The airline later filed a complaint, and an FIR was 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 probing the origins of the threat and ensuring the safety of future air travel. Meanwhile, the passengers with the required visas from the affected flight were provided accommodation in local hotels, while the rest stayed in airport lounges.
A replacement flight, AA9603, is scheduled to depart for Delhi on Tuesday after the original Monday service was cancelled.
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, suddenly reversed 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 landed safely at 5:30 pm local time, and Italian law enforcement immediately secured it. Following an extensive security sweep, American Airlines confirmed the development and said 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.