Air India Express flight evacuated
NEW DELHI: A bomb threat email received on IndiGo’s grievance portal on Wednesday triggered a high alert at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI), before being declared a hoax by authorities. The message mentioned several airports – including those in Delhi, Chennai, and Goa – prompting precautionary checks across all three locations, officials said. Threat was also reported to airports in Mumbai and Hyderabad. According to Delhi Police, the email was flagged around 4 pm, leading to a coordinated response by security agencies, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), and the Delhi fire service. “A call was received at 4 pm regarding a bomb being found at Delhi Airport Terminal 3. However, after investigating the scene, it was ruled a hoax,” a fire department official confirmed.IndiGo’s internal system first detected the message. “The email was received on IndiGo’s grievance portal. It mentioned several other airports, including Delhi, Chennai, and Goa. Following the information, precautionary checks have been conducted at all locations,” Delhi Police said in a statement.The threat coincided with a separate security alert involving Air India Express flight IX 1023 from Mumbai to Varanasi, which received a bomb threat mid-air. The flight made an emergency landing at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi, where all passengers were safely evacuated.An Air India Express spokesperson reacting to the incident said, “One of our flights to Varanasi received a security threat. In line with protocol, the Government-appointed Bomb Threat Assessment Committee was immediately alerted, and all necessary security procedures promptly initiated. The flight landed safely and all passengers have been disembarked. The aircraft will be released for operations once all mandated security checks are completed.” Airport intelligence sources confirmed that 176 passengers were onboard the flight and that a bomb disposal squad conducted detailed inspections of the aircraft and luggage.These threats come just days after the deadly car blast that took place near Delhi’s Red Fort claiming 12 lives, investigative authorities in which have signaled a possible terror link to the incident.