An Air India Express flight made an emergency landing after receiving a bomb threat mid-air.
The aircraft, carrying 176 passengers and crew on a two-hour journey, was forced to land on Wednesday, November 12. The flight, travelling from Mumbai to Varanasi, made a swift diversion to Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, where emergency protocols were immediately activated.
All 176 people on board were safely evacuated with no injuries, according to The Independent. Bomb disposal teams conducted thorough inspections, but no suspicious items were found. The aircraft remains in the isolation bay pending final security clearance.
The United News of India later confirmed the threat was a hoax.
In a statement, an Air India Express spokesperson said: “One of our flights to Varanasi received a security threat. As per protocol, the Government-appointed Bomb Threat Assessment Committee was alerted and all necessary security procedures were initiated. The flight landed safely and all guests have been disembarked. The aircraft will be released for operations once all mandated security checks are completed.”
