- Dammam-Delhi Air India Express flight diverted after ‘bomb’ threat
- 32 passengers safe after flight diverted to Ahmedabad
An Air India Express flight from Dammam to Delhi made an emergency landing at Ahmedabad airport on Monday evening after a crew member found a piece of tissue paper bearing the word “bomb” inside one of the aircraft’s lavatories, police said. The aircraft, carrying 32 passengers, was diverted to Ahmedabad as a precaution following the discovery.
All passengers were safely deboarded and accommodated at Terminal 2 while security agencies carried out checks. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 4) Atul Bansal said the tissue paper was found in the aircraft’s lavatory and contained the word “bomb”. He said passengers were being questioned and security agencies were checking the aircraft.
“No case had been registered” at the time of the report, Bansal said, adding that an offence would be registered once the security checks were completed. An Air India Express spokesperson, cited by PTI, said the flight had been diverted to Ahmedabad after the airline was notified of a “specific bomb threat”.
The government-appointed Bomb Threat Assessment Committee (BTAC) was immediately alerted and security procedures were initiated, the spokesperson said. All passengers disembarked safely, and the aircraft would be cleared for further operations after the necessary security checks were completed.
Police said security agencies thoroughly searched the aircraft and found nothing suspicious. Assistant Commissioner of Police V N Yadav said the aircraft made the emergency landing at Ahmedabad International Airport at around 4.30 pm after a crew member discovered the tissue paper in the washroom. All passengers were reported safe and were accommodated at Terminal 2 of the airport.
Under established aviation security procedures, airport-specific BTACs assess the seriousness of bomb threats and determine the security measures required. These can include offloading passengers and baggage, rescreening passengers and their belongings, checking cargo and catering supplies, and searching the empty aircraft before it is cleared for flight operations.
