Hijack Threat On Mumbai-Bound Air India Flight At Kolkata Airport; Passengers Evacuated

A Mumbai-bound Air India flight received a hijack threat at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata on Wednesday, prompting an intensive security check and the evacuation of passengers, officials said.

The pilot received the threat while preparing for take-off and immediately alerted Air Traffic Control (ATC). Following instructions from the ATC, the pilot moved the aircraft to an isolation bay, where security personnel launched a search operation.

According to initial information, the flight was carrying 92 passengers when the incident occurred. All passengers were disembarked and taken to a safe location as security agencies inspected the aircraft.

Sources said someone reportedly found a note in the aircraft’s toilet warning of a possible hijacking. The authorities took immediate action following the discovery.

The incident caused panic among passengers, who appeared visibly frightened as security personnel carried out checks. However, initial searches had not detected anything suspicious, according to the latest information available.

Airport authorities had not issued an official statement on the incident at the time of reporting.

The threat comes weeks after Kolkata airport received two consecutive bomb threats in October. On October 23, security personnel found a bomb threat written on a piece of tissue paper at the airport.

A day later, another threat appeared on the washroom mirror of an IndiGo flight travelling from Thailand’s Phuket to Kolkata, triggering an extensive security inspection.

Authorities found nothing suspicious in either case and subsequently declared both threats hoaxes.

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