Mumbai-bound international flights of Vistara, IndiGo receive bomb threats

Hampering operations at the Mumbai Airport, two international flights received bomb threats on Thursday. The flights were moved to isolation bay and security forces are conducting necessary checks.

Putting the airport on high alert, Vistara’s Frankfurt-Mumbai flight with 147 persons onboard received a threat on Thursday. The Boeing 787 aircraft landed safely at the Mumbai International Airport and the aircraft was moved to an isolation bay as part of security protocol, airline authorities said.

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“Vistara flight UK 028 operating from Frankfurt to Mumbai on October 16 was subject to a security threat received on social media. As per protocol, all relevant authorities were immediately informed. The aircraft safely landed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai and was taken to the isolation bay where all customers were disembarked. We are fully cooperating with the security agencies to complete the mandatory security checks,” Vistara’s spokesperson said. 

Similarly, IndiGo’s Istanbul-Mumbai flight also received a bomb threat and was taken to an isolation bay at the airport for security checks. "Flight 6E 18, operating from Istanbul to Mumbai, received a security-related alert. Upon landing, the aircraft was isolated, and all passengers were safely disembarked,” IndiGo’s spokesperson said. 

Nearly a dozen flights operated by Indian carriers received similar threats on Monday and Tuesday. A NewYork-bound flight from Mumbai was rescheduled following a bomb scare. Meanwhile, Mumbai police have detained a 17-year-old boy from Chhattisgarh for allegedly issuing hoax bomb threats through social media.