NEW DELHI, India — Twin bomb threats on Indian airliners forced an emergency landing in the Arctic and scrambled fighter jets in Asia on Tuesday, October 15, 2024 the latest in a spate of similar hoaxes targeting Indian airlines.
Authorities in India and abroad are now investigating the rising number of false bomb alerts, which have disrupted flights across the globe.
Indian flag carrier Air India confirmed that the country’s airlines have faced “a number of threats in recent days,” all of which have been deemed hoaxes.
The most recent incidents saw an Air India flight from New Delhi to Chicago diverted to Canada’s northernmost city and fighter jets scrambled to escort another flight to Singapore.
Emergency Landing in Canada
Air India flight 127, traveling from New Delhi to Chicago, was forced to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit, Canada, after receiving a bomb threat posted online.
The flight, carrying 211 passengers and crew, was diverted “as a precautionary measure,” according to the airline.
Canadian police confirmed that all passengers were relocated safely, and on Wednesday, a Canadian Air Force aircraft began transferring passengers to their intended destination.
Fighter Jets Scramble in Singapore
In a separate incident on Tuesday, Singapore scrambled two F-15 fighter jets to escort an Air India Express flight bound for Changi Airport after receiving a bomb threat via email.
The plane, enroute from Madurai, India, was escorted away from populated areas before landing safely.
Singapore’s defense minister, Ng Eng Hen, confirmed the activation of air defense systems and an explosive ordnance disposal team. Investigations are ongoing.
Series of Bomb Threats
The incidents are part of a series of similar bomb threats that have affected Indian carriers in recent days.
On Monday, an Air India flight from Mumbai to New York was diverted back to Delhi due to a hoax bomb alert.
Low-cost carrier IndiGo also reported bomb threats on flights from Mumbai to Oman and Saudi Arabia, leading to long delays.
SpiceJet received another threat for a flight to Mumbai from Darbhanga, though the plane landed safely and was cleared after security checks.
Air India acknowledged that while the threats have been deemed hoaxes, they cannot be dismissed.
“As a responsible airline operator, all threats are taken seriously,” the airline said in a statement, noting it is cooperating with authorities to ensure the perpetrators are “held accountable for the disruption and inconvenience caused to passengers.”
Diplomatic Tensions and Past Tragedies
The Air India incident in Canada comes at a time of rising diplomatic tensions between Canada and India.
Earlier this week, both countries expelled diplomats in a tit-for-tat dispute over allegations linking Indian agents to violence against Sikh separatists in Canada.
While there is no indication that the bomb threats are connected to the diplomatic row, the threats have revived painful memories of the 1985 bombing of Air India flight 182 by Sikh extremists, which killed 329 people, including 250 Canadians.
India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation (MOCA) is reportedly meeting to address the situation, as concerns grow over the motives behind the spate of hoaxes targeting Indian airlines.
The authorities have yet to determine whether the threats are connected or the result of coordinated actions, but the incidents have prompted heightened security measures across affected regions.
As the investigations continue, global aviation security remains on high alert, with Indian airlines closely monitoring the situation to ensure passenger safety in the face of ongoing disruptions.
