Over 100 flights get bomb threats on Tuesday; toll reaches 510 in 16 days

More than 100 flights operated by various Indian airlines received bomb threats on Tuesday, according to sources.

In 16 days, over 510 domestic and international flights have got the threats that later turned out to be hoaxes. The threats were issued mostly through social media.

Air India received threats for around 36 flights and IndiGo for about 35 flights. Vistara received the threats for 32 flights, the sources in the know said.

"A number of Air India flights were subject to security threats received on social media on 29 October 2024.

"Following the laid down protocols, relevant authorities were immediately alerted, and all security procedures strictly adhered to, as per guidance from the regulatory authorities," an airline spokesperson said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Mumbai police have registered a case against an unidentified person after three airlines received bomb threats on their X handle, an official said on Tuesday.

IndiGo, Air India and Vistara had received the threats on Monday, and they turned out to be a hoax after verification, the official added.

The city police have registered 14 FIRs in October in connection with the bomb threats to airlines.

Amid a spate of hoax bomb threats to airlines, the IT Ministry has asked social media platforms to observe due diligence obligations and promptly remove or disable access to misinformation within the strict timelines prescribed under IT rules.

Besides, the civil aviation ministry is looking to take legislative actions to tackle the menace of the hoax bomb threats to airlines.

On Sunday, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said the Centre is mulling steps to ban perpetrators, who resort to hoax bomb threats, from flying.