Chennai-Mumbai IndiGo flight makes emergency landing due to bomb threat
New Delhi: An IndiGo flight, 6E 5314, traveling from Chennai to Mumbai on Saturday, was forced to make an emergency landing at Mumbai airport due to a bomb threat.
“IndiGo flight 6E 5314 operating from Chennai to Mumbai had received a bomb threat. Upon landing in Mumbai, the crew followed protocol and the aircraft was taken to an isolation bay as per security agency guidelines,” the airline said in a statement.
“All passengers have safely disembarked the aircraft. The aircraft is currently undergoing inspection. Post completion of all security checks, the aircraft will be positioned back in the terminal area,” the IndiGo statement added.
On Friday, a Vistara flight from Delhi to Srinagar with 177 passengers onboard received a bomb threat while in mid-air.
The flight landed safely in Srinagar, and all passengers and crew were evacuated.
Following security checks, the Srinagar airport authorities deemed the bomb threat call as 'non-credible.' The Air Traffic Control of Srinagar had received information of a 'threatening call.'
Similarly, on May 28, passengers aboard an IndiGo flight from Delhi to Varanasi had to be evacuated at the Delhi airport due to a bomb threat.
“IndiGo flight 6E2211 operating from Delhi to Varanasi had received a specific bomb threat at Delhi airport. All necessary protocols were followed and aircraft was taken to a remote bay as per guidelines by airport security agencies. All passengers were safely evacuated via the emergency exits," IndiGo had said in a statement.
However, the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) suspended all four cabin crew on that flight for violating rules during the evacuation as they left the jet using the emergency slides with their bags.
In a video clip of the evacuation that went viral on social media, a pilot was seen coming out of the aircraft through the emergency slide with baggage.
Under international norms, passengers and crew are not permitted to take their baggage at the time of evacuation as that will increase the time for evacuation.