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An IndiGo flight from Saudi Arabia’s Madinah to Hyderabad was diverted to Ahmedabad on Thursday, December 3, after the airline received an email warning that the aircraft would be blown up if it landed in Hyderabad.
According to reports, the pilot chose Ahmedabad as the nearest safe option and landed the aircraft safely.
The flight, which had around 180 passengers and six crew members, landed at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport around noon. It was moved to an isolated bay where security protocols were activated. Passengers were evacuated and shifted to a secure holding area.
Deputy Police Commissioner of Ahmedabad (Zone Four), Atul Bansal, told The Hindustan Times that it was the Hyderabad airport authorities that first received the email threat.
Bansal said, “The mail threatened that if the flight was allowed to land in Hyderabad, it would be blown off by a bomb. As a result, there was an emergency landing in Ahmedabad.” He added that the CISF and the bomb squad inspected the aircraft and “so far no suspicious activity has been found on board.”
Bomb squad teams examined the cabin, cargo hold, and baggage. No suspicious object was recovered. Technical teams also conducted safety inspections of the aircraft.
PTI reported that Bansal said the flight was diverted after IndiGo received the email while the aircraft was still en route to Hyderabad. He told them, “Since Ahmedabad was the closest airport, the pilot decided to land here as a precautionary measure.”
Airport operations continued as usual during the inspection. Officials said the flight will continue to Hyderabad only after all security checks and mandatory clearances are completed. Police have started an investigation to trace the origin of the threat email.