Three Vistara flights receive bomb threats; one diverted to Frankfurt on Friday
New Delhi (PTI): Three international flights of Vistara airline that received bomb threats turned out to be hoaxes while one of the aircrafts was diverted to Frankfurt as a precautionary measure, officials said on Saturday.
In a statement, a Vistara spokesperson said the three flights operating out of Delhi received security threats on social media on Friday and as per protocol, all the relevant authorities were promptly alerted.
The officials said the flights to London, Paris and Hong Kong from the national capital received bomb threats that later turned out to be hoaxes.
"Vistara flight UK17 operating from Delhi to London was diverted to Frankfurt as a precautionary measure. The aircraft landed at Frankfurt Airport safely and we fully cooperated with the authorities to complete the necessary checks following which, the flight was cleared to conclude the journey," the spokesperson said.
The flight later landed at London at around 1140 pm local time on Friday.
The airline also said the flight UK21 operating from Delhi to Paris landed safely at the Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport. The aircraft was taken to the isolation bay for the mandatory security checks and then later cleared to resume operations.
According to the airline, the flight UK161 operating from Delhi to Hong Kong landed safely at the Hong Kong International Airport and all security procedures were adhered to.
Meanwhile, Akasa Air on Saturday early morning said its flight QP 1366 scheduled to fly from Bengaluru to Mumbai on Friday received a security alert shortly before departure.
"Hence as per safety and security procedures, all passengers had to be deplaned as the local authorities followed necessary procedures. We request your understanding as our team on ground did everything possible to reduce inconvenience," the airline said in a post on X.
A Dubai-Jaipur Air India Express flight made an emergency landing at the Jaipur airport in the early hours of Saturday due to a bomb threat, which later turned out to be a hoax, officials said.
After authorities were alerted about the threat, an emergency was declared at the airport. The flight with 189 passengers onboard landed safely at the airport at 1.20 am, an official said, adding that the plane was checked thoroughly but nothing suspicious was found.
In the past few days, more than 40 flights operated by the Indian carriers have received bomb threats which later turned out to be hoaxes.
The Civil Aviation Ministry plans to put in place strict norms to prevent incidents of hoax bomb threats to airlines, including placing the perpetrators in the no-fly list.
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KSCA expresses disappointment over missing IPL playoffs, says it was ready to host matches in B’luru
Bengaluru: The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has issued a clarification stating that it was fully prepared to host the IPL playoffs and final matches in Bengaluru but the fixtures were allotted to other venues.
In a media note, KSCA said it was disappointed with the decision. The association stated that its president, former India cricketer Venkatesh Prasad, had been in touch with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and had formally conveyed the association’s readiness and interest in hosting the matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
KSCA said the IPL matches held in Bengaluru this season were appreciated for smooth conduct, crowd management and overall experience for spectators. It said this reflected its ability to handle high-profile matches.
The association also stated that it had sent a detailed communication to the BCCI explaining its preparedness and the operational arrangements followed during the current IPL season. According to KSCA, these systems have been in place since the start of the Indian Premier League in 2008 and were followed consistently, including during previous playoff matches hosted in Bengaluru.
The clarification added that the communication sent to the BCCI was only meant to provide factual and operational details and to bring clarity on logistical and stakeholder-related requirements involved in hosting such matches.
KSCA said that although it had shown willingness and preparedness, the BCCI has decided to allocate the playoff matches to other venues. It added that the reasons for this decision have not been formally shared with the association, but it respects the authority of the board in taking such decisions.
The association further said it remains ready to host matches of national and international importance and will continue to cooperate with the BCCI, franchises, government authorities and other stakeholders for conducting cricket events.
The statement was issued by KSCA official spokesperson Vinay Mruthyunjaya, who also thanked the media and cricket fans for their continued support.
