Emergency landing of Frankfurt-Delhi Air India flight following hijack alert
Representational image. Reuters.
After the pilot sent a hijack alert, an Air India flight from Frankfurt to Delhi was diverted to Jaipur on Wednesday morning. The aircraft was made to make an emergency landing at Jaipur International Airport. The Hindustan Times reported this information, citing sources from India's civil aviation regulator, the DGCA. The regulator is investigating the incident.
Citing sources, the Hindustan Times reported that the Boeing 787-9 model AI 2030 flight landed safely. After that, the aircraft was taken to a designated isolated area for security screening.
According to DGCA sources, the aircraft was sending the 7500 signal on its transponder. This internationally recognized signal is used in cases of hijacking or unlawful interference. The warning message sent by the aircraft's Pilot-in-Command (PIC) was received by Air Traffic Control (ATC). After that, the flight's route was changed and it was taken to Jaipur.
DGCA sources said passengers are expected to board the aircraft again soon after receiving clearance from the authorities.
In a statement, Air India said that on October 14, its AI 2030 flight from Frankfurt to Delhi was diverted to Jaipur due to security concerns. The aircraft landed safely in Jaipur. The relevant security agencies conducted the necessary searches and cleared the aircraft and crew. All passengers were disembarked from the aircraft and subjected to security screening. After that, they boarded the aircraft again. The flight is scheduled to continue its journey to Delhi soon.
However, police sources said the emergency landing was made following a bomb threat. Shiv Dayal, Assistant Police Commissioner of Malviya Nagar, told the news agency PTI that after receiving news of a bomb threat, the airport authorities informed the police about the emergency landing of the Frankfurt-Delhi flight.
According to preliminary information, after landing, the aircraft was taken to a designated isolated area under the guard of security personnel. Under the supervision of security personnel, the two pilots and passengers were disembarked from the aircraft in stages.
The anti-terror squad (ATS), airport security agencies, and local police took part in the security operation. As part of the search, passengers and their luggage were checked. According to preliminary information, the National Security Guard (NSG) in New Delhi was also kept ready.
Air India's statement further said that its team worked actively with the authorities to reduce passenger suffering. It said, "We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to passengers due to this unwanted disruption. We are grateful for their patience and cooperation. The safety of passengers and crew is Air India's highest priority."
