Air India flight checked for bomb after threat call

According to an AAI official, 89 passengers and seven crew members were travelling on the flight

An Air India flight which arrived here from Delhi was today checked for bomb after evacuation of its passengers, as the police had received a phone call which claimed that a bomb was planted in the plane.

"Calangute police received a call about a bomb planted in the flight AI516 flying to Goa," a senior Airports Authority of India (AAI) official told PTI.

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"After receiving the call upon the flight's take-off, police, Central Reserve Police Force, AAI officials and the bomb disposal squad were summoned," he said.

"The plane which landed at Vasco at 2 PM, was moved towards the Indian Navy apron, and checked thoroughly for the presence of a bomb," he said.

"Initially, it looks like a hoax call, but we are not taking any chance," the official said, with the bomb disposal squad still in action.

89 passengers and seven crew members were travelling on the flight, he said.

Goa Airport Director K S Rao could not be contacted for a reaction.