ECONOMYNEXT – State-run Sri Lanka’s Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Private) Limited cleared bomb scare to India’s Vistara flight at the island nation’s main airport, an official said, amid similar threats to more than 70 Indian carriers across the world, foreign media reported.
India-based Economic Times said more than 70 flights of Indian airlines have received bomb threats since Saturday morning including planes from Air India, IndiGo, Akasa Air, Vistara, SpiceJet, Star Air, and Alliance Air.
It said multiple flights were affected, and necessary precautions are being taken by airlines in coordination with authorities, while the threats have been declared hoaxes.
A top official at the Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Private) Limited (AASL) said there was no threat over the reported bomb scare on the Vistara Flight UK 131 (A320 Neo) from Mumbai to Colombo.
“The management of Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) adopted all precautionary and preventive measures in response to a reported bomb scare on a Vistara flight from Mumbai to Colombo, which was scheduled to arrive at 14.51 hours at BIA,” Aruna Rajapaksa, Head of Airport Management at the AASL said in a statement.
“A nonspecific call on a bomb threat had been reported to the captain of the flight 10 minutes before landing at BIA.”
“After authorities were alerted about the threat, in line with the protocol, all relevant authorities were immediately informed, and an emergency was declared at the Bandaranaike International Airport.”
“The flight with 96 passengers and 8 crew onboard landed safely at the airport at 14.49 hrs. All passengers were swiftly evacuated from the aircraft as a precautionary measure to the passenger terminal and the safety of all passengers were assured.”
India-based The Economic Times reported that among the targeted flights were IndiGo services from Delhi and Mumbai to Istanbul, as well as from Jodhpur to Delhi, and Vistara’s flight from Udaipur to Mumbai.
“So far, over 70 flights operated by Indian carriers have received bomb threats, all of which turned out to be false,” it said.
The United Kingdom-based Independent said the wave of threats were mostly issued via X and caused alarm among passengers and aviation authorities alike, and prompted urgent responses from government officials. (Colombo/October 19/2024)