Bomb threat: An IndiGo flight from Delhi to Varanasi that received a bomb threat early morning on Tuesday (May 28) turned out to be a hoax, an official said. This comes after a thorough search was conducted of the flight at the Delhi airport. "A tissue paper, with the word 'bomb' written on it, was found in the lavatory of Indigo flight 6E2211 from Delhi to Varanasi at Delhi airport, prompting security agencies to conduct an inspection but it turned out to be a hoax," a senior CISF official said.
The flight was carrying 176 passengers, including two children. The flight is now scheduled to depart at 9.30 am.
What did IndiGo say on bomb threat?
"IndiGo flight 6E2211 operating from Delhi to Varanasi had received a specific bomb threat at Delhi airport. All necessary protocols were followed and the aircraft was taken to a remote bay as per guidelines by airport security agencies. All passengers were safely evacuated via the emergency exits. The flight is currently undergoing inspection. Post completion of all security checks, the aircraft will be positioned back in the terminal area," IndiGo said.
What did the police say?
"At 05:40 am a phone call recieved from IGI regarding a bomb threat. A meessage - BOMB BLAST @30 MINUTES - was written on a paper inside the lavoratory of the flight 6E2211 ( Delhi-Varansi) which was seen by the pilot of the said flight. At that time the flight was pushed back after the boarding completion. Total onboard pax were 174 adult+02 children. Immediately the flight was taken to isolation bay for further necessary action," the police said.
Bomb threat in Delhi-Varanasi IndiGo flight
Earlier this morning, an IndiGo flight from Delhi to Varanasi received a bomb threat, after which the passengers were evacuated through the emergency door and the aircraft was moved to an isolation bay for investigation, the airport officials said. The Quick Reaction Team reached the spot along with a bomb disposal team, they added.
“A bomb threat was reported on an IndiGo flight from Delhi to Varanasi. The aircraft has been moved to an isolation bay for investigation. Aviation security and a bomb disposal team are currently on site,” the officials said earlier on Tuesday.
According to the Delhi Fire Service, all the passengers were safe and the flight was inspected.
“There was news of a bomb in the flight going from Delhi to Varanasi at 5:35 AM today. QRT reached the spot. All the passengers were evacuated through the emergency door. All passengers are safe, flight is being inspected,” Delhi Fire Service said.
According to an aviation security official who was on the spot, the IndiGo crew before taking off found a note with the word "bomb" written on it in the aircraft's lavatory.
Earlier bomb threats to airports
Earlier in April this year, Nagpur airport had received bomb threat, however, after thorough check up, it turned out to be hoax and nothing suspicious was found on the premises. An official of the aerodrome reported that security personnel swiftly responded to the email, which claimed a bomb had been planted at the airport, by launching an intensive search. Despite the meticulous search, no suspicious items were discovered.
Significantly, the incident followed similar bomb threat emails received by airports in Jaipur, Kanpur, and Goa earlier on the same day. Security measures were immediately heightened, and comprehensive search operations were conducted at all these airports. Goa's Dabolim airport received the threat via their official email, prompting police and bomb squad intervention following a complaint filed by airport authorities.
