A boy gazes at Air India passenger aircraft parked at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, India, on February 1, 2024. — Reuters File
Police in Mumbai, India's financial hub, have apprehended a minor for allegedly posting bomb threats online to three flights earlier this week, according to India's aviation minister. Indian airlines have faced a series of threats to both domestic and international flights on social media this month, all of which turned out to be false alarms. The latest hoax threat targeted a flight from Germany, which landed safely in Mumbai, the airline confirmed on Thursday.
"Strongly condemn the recent bomb threats to Indian air carriers. We are closely monitoring the situation and ensuring that every necessary measure is taken against such actions," said Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, the country's civil aviation minister, in a post on X on Wednesday. He mentioned that the arrested individual was a minor, under the age of 18, and did not disclose his name. Local media reports suggest that the bomb threats were made from an account on X, alleging that two IndiGo flights—one to Muscat and another to Jeddah—and an Air India flight to New York were targeted by armed militants with explosives.
At least eight flights of leading carrier IndiGo INGL.NS were threatened. Additionally, three Spicejet flights, two Vistara flights, and four Air India flights received similar messages online this week, according to Reuters calculations. Air India reported that its flight from New Delhi to Chicago was forced to land in Canada on Wednesday due to a "security threat posted online." Passengers were subsequently transported to their destination by a Canadian Air Force plane.
"Air India notes that it, and other local airlines, have been subject to a number of threats in recent days," the carrier stated.
