New Delhi: Amid a spate of cancellations of Air India flights due to maintenance and operational reasons post the horrific Ahmedabad crash, there has been another worrying incident involving the Tata Group-owned airline.
Air India flight AI-114 from Birmingham to Delhi was diverted to Riyadh on Friday after a bomb threat was received mid-air.
All passengers and crew members who were on the flight are safe, Air India said a statement on Sunday.
After an emergency landing at Riyadh airport, security agencies conducted a full sweep of the plane. No explosive material was found during the inspection.
“The aircraft has landed safely, all passengers have been deplaned, and security checks have been completed,” an Air India spokesperson said, adding that passengers have been accommodated in hotels and the airline is arranging for their travel to Delhi.
A day after flight AI-171 crashlanded at a hostel building of a medical college 32 seconds after taking off from Ahmedabad airport, killing 270 people, another Air India flight from Thailand’s Phuket to Delhi returned and made an emergency landing following a bomb threat.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has directed Air India to implement enhanced pre-flight safety checks and temporarily reduce some services to improve operational stability and minimise last-minute flight disruptions.
Also Read: Air India Served Showcause Notice Over Pilot Duty Norms After Removal Order For 3 Officials
