An Air India Boeing 777 en route to London sparked a serious security alert after the pilot reported a suspected bomb on board. The incident occurred on Tuesday during Flight AIC129 from Mumbai to Heathrow Airport as the plane was nearing UK airspace.
Initial reports suggest that the pilot raised the alarm with air traffic control, citing concerns of a potential bomb threat. In response, the Royal Air Force (RAF) swiftly deployed fighter jets to escort the aircraft as a precautionary measure.
The Air India flight is expected to make an emergency landing at Heathrow, where a full security sweep will be conducted by authorities to ensure the safety of all passengers and crew.
According to Mail Online, this is just one of over a dozen false bomb threats targeting Indian-operated flights in recent days. The incidents have prompted warnings from Indian government and civil aviation authorities about imposing “very strict action” against those responsible for these disruptions.
In a related event, Vistara Airlines reported receiving a “security threat” via social media regarding its Frankfurt-to-Mumbai flight on Wednesday. However, the flight landed safely as scheduled. Vistara confirmed in a statement, “We are fully cooperating with security agencies to complete the necessary security checks.”
India’s Aviation Minister, Ram Mohan Naidu, revealed that a minor had been arrested for making bomb threats against three flights. “All others responsible for these disruptions will be identified and prosecuted,” Naidu stated.
Among the affected flights this week was an Air India service from New Delhi to Chicago, which had to make an emergency landing in Canada. Additionally, on the same day, Singapore deployed fighter jets to escort an Air India Express flight as a precaution.
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