50 Indian flights receive bomb threats in a day
Over 50 flights of Indian carriers were targeted with bomb threats today, in a major escalation of a two-week trend that has witnessed over 350 such threats. Most of the threats were spread through social media. Among the carriers, Akasa Air flagged security alerts for 15 flights, IndiGo for 18 flights, and Vistara for 17 flights.
Airlines respond to bomb threats, ensure passenger safety
In light of the threats, all targeted aircraft were thoroughly checked before being cleared for operations. The incident comes after a spate of similar threats earlier this week, with over 25 domestic and international flights receiving bomb threats on Friday, and over 70 flights threatened on Thursday. An IndiGo spokesperson confirmed seven of its flights received security alerts, including flight 6E 87 from Kozhikode to Dammam.
Government and social media platforms tackle hoax threats
The Indian government is cracking down on this increase in hoax bomb threats. The IT Ministry has ordered social media platforms to follow due diligence obligations and immediately remove or disable access to misinformation, within the time limits prescribed under IT rules. The Civil Aviation Ministry is also considering legislative measures to tackle this problem.
Data sought from Meta, X to identify perpetrators
The government has sought data from social media platforms Meta and X about these hoax messages in a bid to trace the people behind them. Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu has hinted at possible legislative actions, including putting those behind these threats on a no-fly list. This comes as part of wider efforts by authorities to put an end to hoax bomb threats to airlines.
