Bomb threat forces Air India flight from Mumbai to New York to make emergency landing in Delhi

Air India flight AI 119, en route from Mumbai to New York, was diverted to Delhi early Monday after a bomb threat was reported.

The Boeing 777 aircraft, which departed from Mumbai at 2:27 am, was rerouted to Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, where passengers and crew were safely evacuated.

The threat was discovered through a social media post, raising immediate security concerns.

According to Usha Rangnani, Deputy Commissioner of Police at IGI, all security protocols were activated following the alert. "An Air India flight from Mumbai to New York was diverted to Delhi due to a bomb threat.

All necessary safety procedures are being followed meticulously to safeguard everyone on board," said Rangnani. The bomb threat had been posted on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), prompting swift action.

Air India confirmed that the decision to divert the flight was made after receiving a "specific security alert."

In a statement, an Air India spokesperson said, "Flight AI119 from Mumbai to New York on October 14 was diverted to Delhi based on a directive from the government’s security regulatory committee.

The aircraft is undergoing a thorough security check. We are working hard to minimize any disruption to our passengers."

Once the flight landed in Delhi, the passengers disembarked around 4:10 am, leaving their baggage on board for further inspection.

Despite the inconvenience, passengers were provided with refreshments as they waited in the terminal’s holding area.

The authorities are still determining whether the threat was genuine or a hoax, though no suspicious items were found during the initial inspection.

Recent months have seen several incidents involving fake bomb threats on flights in India. In one instance on September 6, a Vistara flight from Mumbai to Frankfurt was forced to land in Erzurum, Turkey, after a bomb threat note was discovered.

The incident later turned out to be a false alarm, but passengers endured a 24-hour delay due to flight crew limitations and safety checks.

As for the current situation with Air India flight AI119, the airline has rescheduled the departure for the morning of October 15.

All 239 passengers and 19 crew members are awaiting further updates at IGI Airport. "Our ground teams are ensuring passengers are taken care of during this unexpected disruption.

Hotel accommodations will be arranged once security protocols are completed," said the spokesperson.

Air India emphasized its commitment to passenger safety, expressing gratitude for the passengers’ cooperation during this unexpected delay.