A Delhi-bound Akasa flight, carrying 185 passengers from Pune, was forced to make an emergency landing at Mumbai Airport following a false bomb threat by a passenger. The incident unfolded in the early hours of Saturday, shortly after the flight had departed from Pune Airport.
The flight, identified as Akasa Air flight QP 1148, was swiftly diverted to Mumbai Airport, where it landed approximately 40 minutes after takeoff from Pune. The passenger's claim of having a bomb in his bag led to the emergency landing. However, a subsequent investigation revealed that the bomb threat was indeed a hoax.
According to reports, Mumbai Police were alerted to the situation at around 2:30 am when a CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) officer reported the matter. In response, the luggage of the passenger in question was thoroughly examined in the presence of the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) team, along with police officers. Fortunately, no suspicious objects were discovered during the search.
The passenger who claimed there was a bomb in his bag was taken to the hospital in an ambulance after the plane landed at the Mumbai airport as he complained of chest pain. According to police a relative accompanying the passenger on the flight told police that he had taken medicine due to chest pain.
In an official statement, TOI reported, that Akasa Airlines addressed the incident: "Akasa Air flight QP 1148, flying from Pune to Delhi at 00:07 hrs on October 21, 2023, and carrying 185 passengers and six crew members on board, received a security alert shortly after take-off. As per safety and security procedures, the plane was diverted to Mumbai. The Captain followed all required emergency procedures and landed safely at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport at 00:42 hrs."
Following the necessary police clearances and investigations, the flight resumed its journey to Delhi from Mumbai Airport around 6 am.