A state of emergency was declared at Kerala’s Thiruvananthpuram Airport after a bomb threat on an Air India flight carrying 135 passengers on Thursday. The plane flying from Mumbai landed safely, no injury has been reported. The airport issued an immediate alert, and fire brigades, ambulances, and security personnel rushed to the runway to handle the situation. The plane was taken to an isolation bay for safety measures and to conduct an elaborate search.
After landing, officials evacuated passengers safely from the aircraft at the isolation bay. Bomb squads and specially trained dogs conducted an elaborate search of the plane. They found no suspicious devices or items on board, confirming the threat was a false alarm. Both police and CISF troops participated in the inspection. Authorities have heightened security across other transport hubs.
Air India’s Mumbai-Thiruvananthapuram flight put in isolation bay, passengers being evacuated following bomb threat: Airport sources
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 22, 2024
Previous Threats To Vistara Flight
A similar threat targeted a Vistara Airlines flight the previous day. An email warned of a bomb blast and hijacking involving Vistara Flight UK-966, scheduled to depart from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 8:15 PM. The threat led to a delay in the flight’s departure as bomb squads and security teams conducted an intense inspection of the aircraft. After the thorough check, the authorities cleared the flight to take off, though the situation significantly frustrated those on board.
Bomb Threats In Delhi
The capital city, Delhi, has been facing a wave of bomb threats past few days. All of Delhi’s private schools received bomb threats back in May, which raised quite an alarm. The schools were closed early and the children were sent home safely. The elaborate searches in the schools yielded no explosives. Authorities received additional warnings of bomb attacks targeting 40 airports across the country, including Delhi Airport. Then came the threats to bomb the hospitals in the city. Three days ago, a fresh set of threats was issued against malls in Delhi and the National Capital Region.
The repeated threats have put Delhi’s public places, particularly its schools, hospitals, and transportation hubs, on high vigil and security alert. Authorities are readily investigating these threats and are securing the city for its residents and visitors. Police are trying to track down the origins of these threats and forestall incidents.
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