Air India Flight AI 379 Diverts to Phuket Following Bomb Threat
An Air India flight traveling from Phuket, Thailand, to New Delhi, India, was forced into an emergency landing on Friday after a bomb threat was reported onboard. The flight, AI 379, landed safely back at Phuket International Airport, with all 156 passengers evacuated without incident.
Incident Details and Flight Route
The aircraft departed from Phuket at 9:30 a.m. local time but soon made a wide detour over the Andaman Sea before returning to the southern Thai airport. Airport authorities swiftly activated emergency protocols to ensure passenger safety during the unexpected landing.
Context and Security Concerns
This incident comes just a day after a tragic Air India crash near Ahmedabad, India, claiming over 240 lives. While no further details about the bomb threat were disclosed by the Airports of Thailand (AOT) or the airline, such security threats have surged in recent times. In fact, Indian aviation agencies recorded nearly 1,000 hoax bomb threats in the first ten months of last year alone, nearly ten times the number reported in 2023.
Ongoing Safety Measures
Both airport authorities and airlines continue to remain vigilant against false alarms and real threats alike, emphasizing swift response and meticulous evacuation procedures to minimize risk to passengers and crew. Air India has yet to release an official statement regarding the incident.
Authorities are actively investigating the threat to determine its validity while maintaining heightened security at airports and aboard flights.
