New Delhi: A bomb threat alert on a Delhi-Varanasi IndiGo flight, which was scheduled to take off at 5.35 am on Monday, kept the authorities on tenterhooks as passengers were evacuated onto the tarmac through emergency exits.
The bomb threat turned out to be a hoax, police said. Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGI Airport) Usha Rangnani said that at around 5 a.m., information was received regarding a paper found in the lavatory of an Indigo flight scheduled to depart for Varanasi, with the word 'bomb@5.30' written on it."
"Following the standard security protocols, a thorough inspection was conducted, and no suspicious items were found," said the DCP. According to airline officials, IndiGo flight 6E2211 operating from Delhi to Varanasi with 176 passengers onboard, had received a specific bomb threat at the airport. The threat call was received at around 5.40 a.m., said officials.
"All necessary protocols were followed and the aircraft was taken to a remote bay as per guidelines by airport security agencies.All passengers were safely evacuated via the emergency exits," said an airline official.In a similar incident on May 16, a tissue paper, with the word "bomb" written on it, was found in the Air India flight AI819 lavatory at Delhi airport, prompting security agencies to conduct an inspection, but it turned out to be a hoax
An airport official earlier told news agency ANI that the aircraft was moved to an isolation bay for investigation, and aviation security and a bomb disposal squad are on site.
Delhi Fire Service said that there was news of a bomb in the flight going from Delhi to Varanasi at 5:35 AM on Monday. “QRT reached the spot. All the passengers were evacuated through the emergency door. All passengers are safe, flight is being inspected."
