New Delhi, India

A Delhi-bound IndiGo flight from Mumbai was diverted to Ahmedabad on Tuesday night (Oct 15) after receiving a bomb threat, which was later found out to be a hoax, an official said on Wednesday. 

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This is notably the 12th such incident in the past two days. 

The aircraft carrying nearly 200 passengers and crew was safely disembarked, and after a thorough check, no suspicious items were found.

After the flight 6E 651 took off from Mumbai, an unidentified person through X (formerly Twitter) claimed that a bomb had been placed in the aircraft, an official from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport said.

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The Mumbai ATC then alerted the pilots, following which they decided to make an emergency landing at Ahmedabad airport, which was the closest airport, the official said. 

"After landing here during midnight, the aircraft, carrying nearly 200 passengers and crew, was thoroughly checked by the security agencies overnight. However, nothing suspicious was found. The flight took off for Delhi at around 8 am today morning after getting a green signal from the security personnel," the official said.

IndiGo issued a statement saying that the flight was redirected to Ahmedabad due to a "security-related alert". 

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Also read: Singapore fighter jets escort Air India Express plane after bomb threat

"The aircraft was isolated, and all passengers were safely disembarked. Ensuring the safety and security of our customers and crew remains paramount in all facets of our operations. We worked closely with the relevant authorities, and standard operating procedures were followed," it said. 

"We sincerely regret any inconvenience this situation may have caused our customers and appreciate their understanding," the airline added.

Akasa Air flight receives bomb threat, declares emergency

A Delhi-Bengaluru Akasa Air flight with 184 people returned to the Indira Gandhi International Airport on Wednesday (Oct 16) after declaring an emergency following a bomb threat. 

Akasa Air, in a statement, said that flight QP 1335 was set to land in Delhi around 2 pm.

Watch | Bomb Threats Disrupt 7 Indian Flights, Prompt Emergency Landings

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“Akasa Air flight QP 1335, flying from Delhi to Bengaluru on October 16, 2024, and carrying 174 passengers, 3 infants and 7 crew members on board, received a security alert. The Akasa Air Emergency Response teams are monitoring the situation and have advised the pilot to divert the flight to Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi with abundant precaution. The Captain is following all required emergency procedures for a safe landing in Delhi and the estimated time of arrival is approximately 14:00 hrs,” Akasa Air spokesperson said in a statement.

This comes a day after seven flights, including one bound for the US, received bomb threats through a social media handle. 

Moreover, on Tuesday, Air India's Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft en route to Chicago from Delhi was diverted to an airport in Canada after receiving a bomb threat.

Additionally, in the last two days, at least 10 Indian flights have received bomb threats, and after security checks, they were all found to be hoaxes. 

(With inputs from agencies)