A Shillong-bound flight was not spared the hoaxer’s call, with a SpiceJet flight (SEJ2448) from Delhi to Umroi forced to make an emergency landing at Guwahati’s Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (LGBI) on Friday following a bomb threat, the latest in a series of such hoaxes made against domestic airlines.
The threat, later confirmed to be a hoax, is the latest in a growing series of such incidents targeting Indian airlines, with this being the sixth bomb scare involving SpiceJet in recent days. Flight operations of this and other airlines have been targeted and successfully disrupted, with the nation’s aviation sector as a whole facing an unprecedented wave of over 250 similar threats.
This particular incident unfolded as the SpiceJet aircraft, carrying 75 passengers, was approaching Umroi. A bomb alert was received via a tweet on X, triggering an immediate response from the flight crew and the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
The aeroplane was quickly diverted to nearby Guwahati, the nearest airport able to handle emergency situations like these. On landing, the plane was shepherded to a secure part of the airport where an extensive security sweep was conducted.
“The threat was received via a tweet on X, and immediately the crew and AAI responded by diverting the plane to Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, where safety protocols were put into action. Fortunately, it turned out to be a hoax, but the designated agencies have already begun investigating according to protocol,” Umroi Airport Director Rajeev Ranjan said.
All passengers were safely disembarked after landing and security forces undertook a thorough inspection of the aircraft, confirming that the bomb threat was indeed a false alarm. Passengers were then taken to Shillong via alternative means.
In light of the hoax, SpiceJet launched an internal investigation and began making arrangements to ensure that the passengers could safely reach their final destination in Shillong. Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies are actively investigating the source of the tweet and the motive behind the bomb threat.
