On Tuesday, Singapore scrambled fighter jets to escort an Air India Express plane after receiving an e-mail warning about a possible bomb on board, according to the city-state's defence minister.
Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen stated in a Facebook post that Air India Express had received an e-mail indicating a bomb was on board flight AXB684, which was en route to Singapore. He mentioned that two air force F-15 jets were deployed to escort the aircraft away from populated areas before it landed safely at Changi Airport in the late evening.
Ng added that the Ground Based Air Defence systems and Explosive Ordnance Disposal team were activated. Once the plane was on the ground, it was handed over to the airport police. Investigations are currently ongoing.
The police reported that no threat items were found on board the plane after completing security checks, and investigations are still in progress. They emphasized that security threats are taken seriously and will not hesitate to take action against those who intentionally cause public alarm.
Air India did not immediately respond to a request for comment. However, it mentioned on social media that another of its flights bound for Chicago was diverted to Canada as a precautionary measure on Tuesday following a security threat posted online. Air India noted that it, along with other local airlines, has been subject to several threats in recent days, all of which were subsequently found to be hoaxes. As a responsible airline operator, all threats are taken seriously.
Air India Express is a budget subsidiary of the Indian flag carrier Air India.
