A London-bound Vistara flight from Delhi was diverted to Frankfurt on Friday following a bomb threat. According to the airline, the flight landed safely at Frankfurt Airport, and mandatory security checks were being conducted. The flight will continue to its destination once cleared by the authorities.
In a statement released early Saturday morning, a Vistara spokesperson said, "Vistara flight UK17 operating from Delhi to London on October 18, 2024, received a security threat on social media. In line with the protocol, all relevant authorities were immediately informed, and as a precautionary measure, the pilots decided to divert the flight to Frankfurt."
Sources indicate that the flight received a bomb threat, prompting the diversion.
Meanwhile, Akasa Air reported a similar incident on the same day. Flight QP 1366, scheduled to fly from Bengaluru to Mumbai, received a security alert shortly before departure. "Hence as per safety and security procedures, all passengers had to be deplaned as the local authorities followed necessary procedures. We request your understanding as our team on the ground did everything possible to reduce inconvenience," Akasa Air stated in a post on X.
These incidents come amidst a rising number of bomb threats targeting Indian airlines. Over the past few days, nearly 40 flights have received such threats, all of which turned out to be hoaxes.
The Civil Aviation Ministry is reportedly preparing to implement stricter measures to prevent hoax bomb threats, including placing perpetrators on a no-fly list.
