Thu Oct 17 08:49:37 UTC 2024: ## Bomb Threats Ground Indian Flights: Vistara Flight Declares Emergency, 20 Flights Targeted in a Week

**Mumbai, India** – In a shocking turn of events, a Vistara flight from Frankfurt to Mumbai declared a general emergency on Thursday morning after receiving a bomb threat via social media. While the flight landed safely at Mumbai airport, the incident marks the latest in a string of at least 20 bomb threats targeting Indian airlines in the past week.

The Vistara flight, UK 28, was flying over Pakistan when it squawked 7700, the code for a general emergency, at around 6 am IST. Passengers were disembarked and the aircraft taken to an isolation bay for security checks.

The incident comes after a rash of similar threats received by Indian airlines throughout the week. Despite causing major disruptions and raising security concerns, all 19 previous threats have been found to be false.

“We are fully cooperating with the security agencies to complete the mandatory security checks,” said a Vistara spokesperson.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu expressed deep concern over the “disruptive acts,” condemning the “mischievous and unlawful” actions. The Minister announced that the Mumbai Police have apprehended a minor responsible for issuing bomb threats to three flights, and that further investigations are underway to identify and prosecute other perpetrators.

The incident has prompted a joint response from government ministries, including the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The MoCA is working with the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) to add perpetrators of hoax bomb threats to the no-fly list.

Despite the high number of false threats, security agencies take each incident seriously. While the threats often turn out to be hoaxes, the security checks, which can take several hours, cause significant disruptions and financial losses for airlines.

In the wake of these incidents, security has been heightened at Indian airports, with emergency response personnel placed on high alert.

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