HYDERABAD: An IndiGo flight from Jeddah to Hyderabad was diverted to Mumbai on Saturday morning after the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) received a bomb threat email warning authorities to prevent its landing in Hyderabad.
According to the police, the threat email, received at around 5.30 a.m., claimed there was a bomb on IndiGo flight 6E 68, operating from Jeddah to Hyderabad. The email reportedly warned the airport authorities to "prevent landing of IndiGo (flight) in Hyderabad" and further stated, "...onboard LTTE-ISI operatives have planned a major 1984 Madras Airport Modus operandi style blast," police said.
Following the threat, the aircraft was diverted to Mumbai, where it landed safely. All stakeholders were alerted, and thorough security checks were conducted upon landing.
“All (security) checks were carried out and no issue was found,” a police official said, adding that a case has been registered and further investigation is under way.
An IndiGo spokesperson confirmed that flight 6E 68, bound for Hyderabad, received a security threat on November 1, which prompted its diversion.
“A security threat was received for IndiGo flight 6E 68 operating from Jeddah to Hyderabad on November 1 and the aircraft was diverted to Mumbai. Following the established protocol, we informed the relevant authorities immediately and fully cooperated with them in carrying out the necessary security checks before the aircraft was cleared for further operations,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
“We made all efforts to minimise inconvenience to our customers including offering them refreshments and sharing regular updates,” the airline spokesperson added.
Police officials said the airport authorities lodged a complaint after receiving the threat email, and the matter is being investigated to trace the sender and verify the authenticity of the threat.
(With inputs from PTI)
