An Air India Express flight travelling from Mumbai to Varanasi was forced to make an emergency landing on Wednesday after receiving a mid-air bomb threat. All 176 passengers and crew members were safely evacuated, and the aircraft was moved to an isolation bay for a full security inspection.
Authorities confirmed that a bomb disposal squad was deployed immediately at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi. The airline later issued a statement assuring that “the flight landed safely and all guests have disembarked.” The message from an Air India Express spokesperson continued: “One of our flights to Varanasi received a security threat.
“In line with protocol, the Government-appointed Bomb Threat Assessment Committee was immediately alerted, and all necessary security procedures promptly initiated. The flight landed safely and all guests have been disembarked.”
Officials added that the aircraft will return to service once mandatory checks are completed.
“The aircraft will be released for operations once all mandated security checks are completed,” it said.
The incident happened after a separate bomb threat email was sent to IndiGo Airlines, triggering high alerts across several major Indian airports, including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram, and Hyderabad.
The email, received between 3:40 and 3:45 pm, is under investigation by the government-appointed Bomb Threat Assessment Committee.
Early findings suggest the threat was a hoax, but security protocols were activated without delay.
Indian aviation authorities emphasised that both threats were handled according to international safety standards.
Airports across the country heightened security measures, with additional screening and surveillance put in place to reassure travellers.
While no explosives were found, officials are continuing to trace the source of the threats.
Aviation experts note that India, one of the world’s busiest air travel markets, has faced sporadic security scares in recent years, underscoring the importance of rapid response systems.
Passengers described the evacuation as orderly, with crew members guiding them calmly through emergency procedures.
“It was frightening at first, but the staff kept us reassured,” one traveller told local media.