An Air India flight, AI 127, traveling from New Delhi to Chicago, was diverted to Iqaluit International Airport in Canada after receiving a bomb threat via social media on Tuesday. This incident marks the second such threat reported today, bringing the total to five bomb threats involving flights over the past two days. Air India Express issued a statement confirming that multiple operators have been targeted by threats from an unverified social media account.
Authorities are actively investigating the source of these threats. Fortunately, all passengers on the diverted flight are safe. Earlier in the day, an Air India Express flight from Ayodhya to Bengaluru, with 132 passengers on board, was delayed due to another bomb threat. The plane, which had arrived from Jaipur, was scheduled to continue to Bengaluru after a brief stop in Ayodhya, according to airport director Vinod Kumar, who confirmed the emergency situation.
In a statement, Air India Express officials explained that flight AI 127, operating on October 15, 2024, was subjected to an online security threat. As a precautionary measure, the flight landed at Iqaluit Airport, where both the aircraft and passengers are undergoing security re-screening in accordance with established protocols. Air India has deployed support agencies at the airport to assist passengers until their journey can safely resume. The airline also noted that it, along with other local operators, has been the target of multiple threats in recent days.