- By Sahelee Rakshit
- Wed, 09 Oct 2024 06:30 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
A Vistara flight departing from London for Delhi got a bomb threat on Wednesday, causing alarm among passengers. A scribbled message was discovered on the flight on its way to Delhi. The statement was written on a tissue paper discovered inside the restroom. A passenger informed the crew about the message, causing fear inside the aircraft.
Following protocol, the aircraft was taken to the isolation bay after it landed safely at the Delhi airport at around 11:20 AM.
Vistara spokesperson said, “A security concern was noted by our staff operating Vistara flight UK 018, enroute from London to Delhi on 9 October 2024. In line with the protocol, the relevant authorities were immediately informed and the aircraft was taken to the isolation bay for mandatory checks, after landing safely at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi. We fully cooperated with the relevant authorities in completing the necessary security checks. At Vistara, the safety of our customers, crew and aircraft is paramount.”
About 300 people, including crew members, were on board the flight. After learning of the situation, the cabin crew made the required preparations for a safe landing while maintaining passenger composure.
The captain and co-pilot of the flight were also questioned by the police over their choice to keep the aircraft flying instead of diverting to a nearby airport after learning of the bomb threat.
The crew allegedly replied by explaining that landing at a different site could have been riskier. They thought there was a chance the note's writer would have tried to take advantage of the distraction to carry out other risky requests, such as hijacking.
They decided it would be better to proceed to Delhi, where there were more extensive security measures, as a result.
The bomb threat was eventually deemed to be a hoax after hours of thorough examinations and interrogations as neither the flight nor any of the baggage had any suspicious objects.