Hijack and bomb threat on tissue paper: Kuwait-Delhi IndiGo flight diverted to Ahmedabad

Representative image

• IndiGo Kuwait-Delhi flight diverted to Ahmedabad due to hijack and bomb threat.
• All 180 passengers safe; no suspicious items found in initial search.
• Recent IndiGo flights have faced multiple security scares and bomb threats

Did our AI summary help?

An IndiGo aircraft operating a Kuwait–Delhi service was forced to divert to Ahmedabad early Friday after a suspected security threat was detected mid-air, officials at the airport confirmed.

The alert was raised when crew members discovered a handwritten message on a tissue paper inside the aircraft, indicating a hijack and bomb threat. The note suggested the presence of an explosive device on board, prompting the cockpit crew to immediately inform air traffic control.

As a safety precaution, the aircraft was rerouted to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, where it landed without incident at around 6.40 am. There were 180 people on board, including crew members.

Following the landing, all passengers were evacuated safely. Their baggage was taken for screening while security agencies, including local police, bomb disposal units, and dog squads, carried out extensive checks of the aircraft. Officials said no suspicious items had been detected during the preliminary search.

Authorities indicated that the flight would continue to Delhi after receiving the necessary security clearance.

The incident comes amid a series of recent security scares involving IndiGo flights. About two weeks ago, a Delhi–Bagdogra flight was diverted to Lucknow after a serious threat was reported during the boarding process. The aircraft landed safely, and passengers were deboarded while security teams conducted inspections.

In another instance last month, the airline grounded two flights in a single day due to bomb-related threats. On December 4, a Madinah–Hyderabad flight made an emergency landing in Ahmedabad after a passenger claimed to be carrying a bomb. Later the same day, an IndiGo flight from Sharjah to Hyderabad was diverted to Mumbai following an email warning that the aircraft would be blown up if it landed at its scheduled destination.

Security agencies continue to investigate the latest incident to determine the source and credibility of the threat.