Published Aug 22, 2024 | 9:43 AM ⚊ Updated Aug 22, 2024 | 1:45 PM
Air India Express. (Wikimedia)
An Air India flight AI657 travelling from Mumbai to Thiruvananthapuram has had an emergency landing at the Thiruvananthapuram airport, on Thursday, 22 August, following a bomb threat.
The flight which landed at 8 am on Thursday, received the bomb threat at 7:30 am. Following which, by 7:36 am, a full emergency was declared at the Thiruvananthapuram airport.
The Airport authorities have confirmed that the flight had landed safely, and is now parked at the isolation bay, where the evacuation process has started. There were 135 passengers onboard.
Passengers were evacuated through the emergency exit, and the bomb squad is currently conducting a thorough inspection of the aircraft.
The pilot notified Air Traffic Control about the threat, which was reportedly received via a phone call. While the investigations are underway to trace the origin of the call, the airport has heightened security measures, with additional fire force, security personnel, and medical teams deployed.
Airport authorities have assured that all passengers are safe and there is no need for concern. They have also confirmed that the airport operations are not affected.
The emergency status was later withdrawn at around 12.10 pm, according to airport sources who declined to confirm whether the threat was a hoax.
Police officers from the Valiyathura police station arrived at the airport to investigate the incident.
Passengers were evacuated by 8:44 am, and waited at the airport for their luggage to be delivered. Meanwhile, Air India, in a statement, said that a specific security alert was detected on flight AI 657 during cruise from Mumbai to Thiruvananthapuram and “the crew carried out all the laid down security drills keeping passenger safety as top priority.”
“All passengers and crew disembarked safely. Air India accords top priority to the safety of its passengers and crew,” an airline spokesperson said.
(With PTI inputs)
(South First is now on WhatsApp and Telegram)
