Air India flight horror as hundreds of passengers diverted after bomb threat

An flight from Delhi to Chicago was forced to divert after receiving a bomb threat.

The Boeing 777 had to land at the Iqaluit airport in on Tuesday. were seen evacuating the plane as a bomb disposal unit entered the vehicle.

The dramatic incident allegedly unfolded in the wake of a bomb threat made against the on social media. In a statement, the airline confirmed the flight was "the subject of a security threat posted online" and that it had landed at Iqaluit, the capital city of the Nunavut province.

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Sharing their full statement on X, Air India said: "Flight AI127 operating from Delhi to Chicago on October 15, 2024, was the subject of a security threat posted online and, as a precautionary measure, has landed at Iqaluit Airport in Canada. The aircraft and passengers are being re-screened as per the laid down security protocol. Air India has activated agencies at the airport to assist the passengers until such time that their journey can resume.

"Air India notes that it, and other local airlines, have been subject to a number of threats in recent days. Though all have subsequently been found to be hoaxes, as a responsible airline operator all threats are taken seriously. The inconvenience to customers is sincerely regretted.

"Air India is extending all cooperation to authorities in identifying the perpetrators of such threats to ensure that they are held accountable for the disruption and inconvenience caused to passengers, and will consider legal action against those responsible to recover damages incurred by the airline."

Air India Express confirmed that several operators have been targeted by threats from an unverified social media account, after an earlier Air India Express flight from Ayodhya to Bengaluru was delayed after a bomb threat. The plane, which had 132 passengers on board, was en route from Jaipur and due to travel onto Bengaluru after a brief stop in Ayodhya, according to officials.

Vinod Kumar, director of the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, Ayodhya Dham, confirmed the incident at the airport. In a statement regarding the flight that originated from Jaipur, Air India Express officials said: "Air India Express, along with a few other operators, received a specific security threat from an unverified social media handle.

"In response, security protocols were promptly activated as directed by the government-appointed Bomb Threat Assessment Committee. The flight landed safely, and the aircraft will be released for operations following all mandated security procedures."

On Monday, Air India faced more issues as a flight bound for New York was diverted soon after takeoff and evacuated following a bomb threat. Flight A1119 from Mumbai had 239 passengers on board when it made an emergency landing at Dehli airport early on Monday morning, according to police in the capital.

"All passengers have disembarked and are at the Delhi airport terminal. Our colleagues on the ground are making sure to minimise the inconvenience caused to our guests by this unexpected disruption," Air India said in a statement. The Boeing 777 had taken off from Mumbai at 2.27am local time and was diverted to land in the capital around an hour and a half into its flight, according to Flightradar24. Passengers were told to deplane at around 4.10am, leaving their luggage, before having to wait in the airport's holding area.