A bomb threat on an IndiGo airline flight at Delhi’s airport caused panic and led to an evacuation of passengers for a thorough inspection of the aircraft. According to NDTV, the incident occurred early Tuesday morning when officials were alerted to a potential bomb on flight 6E 2211, which was preparing for departure to Varanasi from Indira Gandhi International Airport.
Bomb Threat and Immediate Response
An airline official informed reporters that at approximately 5:40 AM, a phone call was received by the airport’s IGI control, claiming there was a bomb on the flight. The pilot found a note in the aircraft’s restroom that read, “Explosion in 30 minutes.”
Following this threat, 176 passengers were immediately evacuated from the plane and moved to a safe distance. A Quick Response Team (QRT) then began a detailed search of the aircraft. However, no suspicious items had been found at the time of reporting.
Safety Measures and Passenger Evacuation
All passengers were safely evacuated through the emergency exits and were reported to be unharmed. IndiGo Airlines issued a statement confirming that, following the instructions from airport security agencies, the plane was moved to an isolated area for a thorough inspection.
The statement further mentioned that the inspection process was ongoing and, upon completion, the aircraft would be returned to its designated terminal position.
Previous Similar Incidents
Earlier this month, a similar incident occurred at Delhi airport when a piece of tissue paper with the word “bomb” written on it was found in the restroom of an Air India flight. This also turned out to be a false alarm. Following this, the police carried out a complete check of the aircraft in line with security protocols but found nothing suspicious.
Historically, there have been numerous bomb threats communicated via emails to airlines, hospitals, and schools, which after inspections, often turned out to be hoaxes.
Conclusion
The recent bomb scare on the IndiGo flight underscores the importance of rigorous security protocols and swift responses to potential threats. While no actual threat was confirmed, the situation was handled with the utmost caution to ensure passenger safety. The incident serves as a reminder of the constant vigilance required to maintain safety and security in public spaces, particularly in aviation.