Bomb threat to Jeddah-Hyd IndiGo flight

Hyderabad/Mumbai: An IndiGo flight travelling from Jeddah in Saudi Arabia to Hyderabad was diverted to Mumbai after a bomb hoax that threatened a “1984 Madras airport-style blast”. At Mumbai airport, necessary checks were conducted, and all efforts were made to minimise inconvenience to the fliers, IndiGo said in a statement.

“A security threat was received for IndiGo flight 6E 68 operating from Jeddah to Hyderabad on Saturday and the aircraft was diverted to Mumbai. Following the established protocol, we informed the relevant authorities immediately and fully cooperated with them in carrying out the necessary security checks before the aircraft is cleared for further operations,” IndiGo said in the statement. Sources said the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Hyderabad received the threat mail claiming that LTTE-ISI operatives were planning a major blast involving nerve gas and IEDs. The email was sent to the airport’s customer support from an individual identified as Papaita Rajan. According to aviation tracker flightradar24, the flight was to land in Hyderabad at 9.10 am but was diverted to Mumbai after the threat.The flight took off after the checks and reached Hyderabad around 4 pm. “We made all efforts to minimise inconvenience to our customers, including offering them refreshments and sharing regular updates. As always, safety and security of our customers, crew and aircraft are our topmost priorities,” the airline added.