Delhi-bound Akasa flight makes emergency landing in Mumbai after bomb ‘threat’; passenger held for hoax alarm

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Akasa Air flight travelling from Pune to Delhi was diverted to Mumbai for an emergency landing, after a passenger onboard claimed that there is a bomb in his luggage, the airline officials said on October 21. The incident took place in the wee hours of the day, shortly after the flight took off from Pune. However, after landing at the airport, the bomb threat was found to be a “hoax", officials added.

Following security clearance, the flight departed for the national capital, as originally scheduled, at 6 am in the morning, they noted. The passenger who raised the false alarm has been held by the police, reports added. His identity was not disclosed in the preliminary reports.

"Akasa Air flight QP 1148, flying from Pune to Delhi at 00:07 hrs on October 21, 2023, and carrying 185 passengers and six crew members on board, received a security alert shortly after take-off. As per safety and security procedures, the plane was diverted to Mumbai. The Captain followed all required emergency procedures and landed safely at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport at 00:42 hrs," Akasa Airlines said in a statement.

Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels. Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights! Click here! "At around 2.30 am today a CISF officer informed the Mumbai Police Control, after which the luggage of the passenger of that flight was searched in the presence of Bomb Detection and Disposable Squad (BDDS) team, as well as police officers. But during an investigation the police did not find any suspicious object," news agency ANI quoted a police officer as saying.