Page 6 - Bomb Threat Calls

Over 60 flights get bomb threats on Monday; 410 hoax calls in last 15 days

More than 60 flights of Indian carriers received bomb threats on Monday, sources said. In 15 days, over 410 domestic and international flights operated by the Indian carriers have received hoax bomb threats. Most of the threats were issued through social media. The sources in the know said around 21 flights each of Air India and IndiGo, and about 20 flights of Vistara received the threats on Monday. An Air India spokesperson said a number of its flights were subject to security threats received on social media on Monday. "Following the laid down protocols, relevant authorities were immediately alerted, and all security procedures strictly adhered to, as per guidance from the regulatory authorities," the spokesperson said in a statement. Meanwhile, against the backdrop of 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 .

At least 50 Indian flights receive bomb threats; 2 diverted on Sunday

At least 50 flights operated by Indian airlines received bomb threats and two of them were diverted on Sunday, according to sources. In 14 days, more than 350 flights operated by the Indian carriers have received hoax bomb threats. Most of the threats were issued through social media. Akasa Air on Sunday said 15 of its flights got security alerts and after thorough inspections, all aircraft were released for operations. The sources in the know said IndiGo received threats for 18 flights and Vistara for 17 flights. At least two IndiGo flights were diverted following threats. Its flight 6E 133 (Pune to Jodhpur) was diverted to Ahmedabad and 6E 87 (Kozhikode to Dammam) was diverted to Mumbai, an official said. According to an IndiGo statement, the flights that received security-related alerts include 6E 11 (Delhi-Istanbul), 6E 92 (Jeddah-Mumbai), 6E 112 (Goa-Ahmedabad), 6E 125 (Bengaluru-Jharsuguda), 6E 127 (Amritsar-Ahmedabad) and 6E 135 (Kolkata-Pune). Among others are 6E 149 ...

Govt issues advisory to social media apps amid rising hoax bomb calls

Amid a spate of hoax bomb threats to multiple 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. The Centre also asserted that apart from removing or disabling access to such misinformation, social media intermediaries have additional liability under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) to mandatorily report certain offences perceived to be committed by any user of their platform including those with intent to threaten unity, integrity, sovereignty or security of India. The Government, in an advisory, reminded social media intermediaries that they are obligated under IT rules to provide information under their control or possession and assist investigative agencies within stipulated timeline of up to 72 hours. The move assumes significance as more than 275 flights operated by the Indian carriers have received hoax

Civil Aviation Minister Naidu vows action amid surge in hoax bomb threats

On Friday, over 20 flights of various airlines reportedly received bomb threats, according to Civil Aviation ministry

Safety fears rise for Indian airlines as over 70 flights get bomb threats

With the latest threats, nearly 250 flights operated by Indian carriers have received bomb threats in just over 10 days

BTAC protocols tweaked to tackle hoax bomb calls to airlines: Report

Protocols for the Bomb Threat Assessment Committee (BTAC), convened in the event of a bomb threat call to an aircraft or airport, have been tweaked to better tackle the spate of the ongoing "random" Internet-based threats being made to various Indian airlines, official sources said Tuesday. On Monday night, the BTAC that assembled at seven airports of Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, Pune, Mangalore, Bengaluru and Kozhikode declared as "hoax or non-specific" bomb threat messages sent to 30 flights belonging to three carriers -- Air India, Vistara and Indigo. The threat was assessed as "non specific" as it was found that one X handle posted these "bombs onboard" messages for 10 flights each of these three carriers between 10:46 and 11:42 PM. The protocol undertaken by the BTAC has been tweaked and a fine assessment, acting on a set of new 'red flags', is being undertaken now, the sources told PTI. The CISF and the respective airline security have also been asked to ensure "focussed" security .

Bomb threat on 54 more flights; tally reaches 140 in just over a week

In just over a week, more than 140 domestic and international flights operated by Indian carriers have received bomb threats

Vistara flight denied Afghan airspace after bomb scare, returns to Delhi

When Afghan airspace officials were notified of the 'non-specific' bomb threat, they refused permission for the Vistara flight to pass through

Bomb hoax calls menace continues, disrupts over 20 Indian flights today

More than 80 flights have been affected by hoax calls since Monday

Bomb threats hit Indian flights hard: The real cost of these hoax calls

These false bomb threats have caused significant financial losses for airlines, estimated in crores

Bomb threats: Air India Express, Vistara flights make emergency landings

Over the past several days, nearly 40 flights operated by Indian carriers have faced bomb threats, all of which have been hoaxes so far

Vistara's Delhi-London flight diverted to Frankfurt after bomb threat

A London-bound Vistara flight from Delhi was diverted to Frankfurt on Friday following a bomb threat. In a statement early Saturday morning, an airline spokesperson said the flight landed safely at the Frankfurt airport and mandatory checks are being conducted. The flight will continue to its destination once cleared by the security agencies. "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," the spokesperson said. According to an official in the know, the flight had received a bomb threat. Meanwhile, Akasa Air said its flight QP 1366 scheduled to fly from Bengaluru to Mumbai on Friday 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 necess

Bomb threats: Delhi Police writes to social sites to get offenders' details

Intensifying its probe on the hoax bomb threats received by several domestic and international flights, Delhi Police on Thursday wrote to social media platforms seeking details of the accounts that posted threatening messages. Delhi Police on Wednesday registered an FIR in connection with the bomb threat to Bengaluru-bound Akasa Air flight carrying 180 people and also launched a probe in seven other similar cases reported at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport this month. A senior police officer said a dedicated team has been formed to probe bomb threat cases. A team of cyber cell of Delhi police, Intelligence Fusion & Strategic Operations (IFSO) has also been roped in for the probe. On Wednesday, police approached the social media platforms to suspend the handles that posted threatening messages and remove the posts. "It is suspected that the handler used VPN (Virtual private network) or dark web browser to set up the accounts on X and then posted the messages from more ...

10 social media handles suspended for issuing hoax bomb threat to airliners

About 10 social media handles that issued hoax bomb threats to multiple Indian airliners this week have been suspended or blocked by cyber security agencies till now, official sources said Thursday. The sources told PTI that the handles were "analysed" by a joint team of cyber, aviation security and intelligence agencies following which orders were issued to suspend these accounts as they continued to issue "mindless" threats. Around 10 social media handles, majority of them on X, have been suspended or blocked since Monday, when these hoax bomb and terrorist attack threats started being sent to virtually all the Indian airliners for both their domestic and international route operations, the sources said. The agencies have also found some common lines and words used in these fake threats like "bombs", "blood will spread everywhere", "explosive devices", "this is not a joke" and "you will all die" and "bomb rakhwa dia hai" (Hindi for bomb has been placed) among others. The sources

2 Mumbai-bound international flights receive bomb threats

The pattern of domestic airlines receiving bomb threats to their flights continued for the fourth day as two international flights, one each of Vistara and IndiGo, were targeted in the similar manner on Thursday. Earlier on Wednesday, seven flights of IndiGo, SpiceJet and Akasa received similar bomb threats. Prior to that, nearly a dozen flights operated by Indian carriers received similar threats on Monday and Tuesday. On Thursday a Mumbai-bound Vistara flight with 147 persons on board was immediately taken to security checks on its arrival from Frankfurt following the Boeing 787 aircraft receiving a bomb threat, according to the airline. At the same time, an IndiGo flight operating from Istanbul in Turkiye for Mumbai also received a bomb threat and was taken to an isolation bay here for the security agencies to carry out a comprehensive security check. "The Vistara flight UK 028 operating from Frankfurt to Mumbai on October 16, 2024 was subject to a security threat received on .

Playing it safe: How a bomb threat is handled at an Indian airport

Goal is to verify credibility of a threat and neutralise any potential danger

Centre plans strict norms to prevent hoax bomb threats to airlines

The civil aviation ministry plans to put in place strict norms to prevent incidents of hoax bomb threats to airlines, including placing the perpetrators on the no-fly list, a senior official said on Thursday. In four days, more than 20 flights of various Indian airlines received bomb threats, including international flights, and some of them were diverted. Most of the threats have turned out to be hoaxes. Against this backdrop, the ministry is looking at amending existing rules, including those related to the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), in order to ensure stringent punishments are in place for the culprits, the official in the know said. Placing individuals making hoax bomb threats in the airlines' no-fly list is one of the proposals being looked at, the official said. The official also said legal opinions are being gathered with respect to making the changes in the rules. The provisions being followed in foreign countries to deal with hoax bomb threats are also bein

Police arrest teen for bomb threats to airlines, planned to frame friend

The 17-year-old boy created a social media account using the name of a friend he wanted to implicate over financial dispute

Vistara's Frankfurt-Mumbai flight makes emergency landing after bomb threat

A Mumbai-bound Vistara flight with 147 persons on board made an emergency landing here on Wednesday upon its arrival from Frankfurt in Germany following a bomb threat to the aircraft, a source said. The Boeing 787 aircraft was immediately taken to the isolation bay for mandatory security checks, according to the source. The flight landed safely at 7.45 am. There were 134 passengers and 13 crew on board the aircraft, as per sources. "Vistara Frankfurt flight, which had departed for Mumbai from Frankfurt on Tuesday at 8.20 pm (local time) made an emergency landing here at around 7.45 am on Wednesday," a source said. Vistara, in a statement, said that its Frankfurt-Mumbai flight received a security alert but landed safely here. "The Vistara flight UK 028 operating from Frankfurt to Mumbai on October 16, 2024 was subject to a security threat received on social media," the airline said. As per the protocol, all relevant authorities were immediately informed, it said, adding the aircr

Agencies actively pursuing bomb threat cases: Aviation Minister Naidu

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu also said the Mumbai police have arrested a minor responsible for issuing bomb threats targeting three flights