Air India Express Flight Sparks Safety Concerns with Bomb Threat

Air India Express flight from Dubai to Jaipur made an emergency landing after a bomb threat was received. Security checks found nothing suspicious, prompting an investigation into the threat's origin. The Indian government is considering legal reforms to discourage such hoaxes, aiming for stricter penalties including a no-fly list.

Jaipur Airport was thrust into high alert in the early hours of Saturday as an Air India Express flight IX-196 from Dubai touched down following an alarming bomb threat received via email, according to Police SHO Sandeep Basera. The plane, carrying 189 passengers, landed safely at 1:20 am.

After swift and thorough inspections by security personnel, officials confirmed that no suspicious items were discovered onboard. Police are now focused on tracing the source of the threat, as efforts to strengthen legal consequences for such pranks gain momentum.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation is collaborating with other governmental bodies to tighten legislative measures against hoax bomb threats, a senior official revealed. Proposed amendments aim to impose up to five years of imprisonment and blacklist offenders from flying. The move comes amid a surge in fake threats, which have disrupted India's burgeoning aviation sector.

As tension flares, authorities record at least 26 bomb hoaxes involving major airlines over just four days, underscoring the economic impact and inconvenience caused to carriers and passengers alike. Responding to the situation, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu stated action is underway and emphasized the isolated nature of the incidents, primarily linked to pranks.

(With inputs from agencies.)