An IndiGo Airlines flight made an emergency landing at Lucknow airport on Sunday with 238 passengers on board following a bomb threat. The aircraft, identified as 6E-6650, was on its way to Bagdogra from Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) in Delhi, ANI reported.
According to Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Rajneesh Verma, the bomb threat came through a handwritten note found on “tissue paper in an airplane toilet”.
“A message written on tissue paper was found in the toilet of the flight stating that there was a bomb on board. The flight had 238 passengers along with the pilots and crew. The flight was on its way from Delhi to Bagdogra. It made an emergency landing in Lucknow and is currently being searched for,” ANI quoted Rajneesh Verma as saying.
The plane has been parked in an isolation bay after landing at Lucknow airport while security teams thoroughly search the plane for any suspicious items. Bomb disposal squad and CISF teams immediately launched a thorough investigation. A comprehensive search is underway at the airport.
In light of the shocking development, all passengers were evacuated and scanned once the flight landed safely at approximately 09:17. Air Traffic Control (ATC) received information about a bomb threat at around 08:46 on 18 January. Standard checks were carried out by security agencies in accordance with security measures and protocols.
The plane was carrying 230 passengers, including 222 adults and 8 infants, 2 pilots and 5 crew members.
Earlier on Christmas, a bomb threat email was received at the customer support email address of the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Hyderabad in connection with Flynas flight XY 325, according to an official.
The flight landed safely and all mandatory safety and security protocols were immediately put in place, an RGIA official said.