Mumbai: Air India Flight AI119 that was travelling from Mumbai to New York with 303 passengers and 19 crew members was forced to return to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai on Monday after a potential security threat was detected mid-air, reports stated.
According to reports, the flight landed safely at 10:25 am local time. The airline stated that the aircraft was currently undergoing mandatory checks by security agencies.
“The aircraft is undergoing mandatory checks by security agencies, and Air India is extending its full cooperation to the authorities. The flight has been rescheduled to operate at 0500 Hrs of 11 March 2025, and all passengers have been offered hotel accommodation, meals, and other assistance until then,” Air India said.
“Our colleagues on the ground are making sure to minimise the inconvenience caused to our passengers by this disruption. As always, Air India accords the highest priority to the safety of passengers and crew,” the airline’s statement reads.
The Boeing 777 altered its flight path over Azerbaijan and returned to Mumbai following a bomb threat. Bomb-detection procedures were carried out after the flight landed, but the threat was later found to be a hoax, NDTV reported.