An Air India flight traveling from Phuket, Thailand to Delhi was forced to make an emergency landing early Friday morning after a bomb threat note was discovered onboard. Flight AI 379, which had 156 passengers, had taken off from Phuket at 9:30 AM local time but was quickly turned back mid-air over the Andaman Sea when the threat was reported. The pilot, following standard aviation safety protocols, contacted air traffic control and safely returned the aircraft to Phuket International Airport, where all passengers were safely evacuated and security checks were promptly initiated.
According to officials from the Airports of Thailand (AOT), the threat was brought to light during the cruising phase when a passenger found a suspicious note indicating a potential bomb on board. Airport authorities and Thai security agencies immediately began a thorough inspection of the aircraft upon landing. Preliminary searches revealed no explosive materials, and the passenger who discovered the note is currently being questioned by airport authorities for further investigation.
The incident comes just a day after a separate and tragic Air India crash in Ahmedabad, where more than 240 lives were lost, heightening concern and scrutiny over air safety. While Friday’s bomb threat turned out to be a false alarm, Indian aviation authorities remain on high alert due to a surge in hoax threats in recent months. In 2024 alone, India faced nearly 1,000 such fake threats across airlines and airports—ten times the number from the previous year. Air India has not yet issued an official statement regarding the incident.
