THE Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) scrambled F-15SG jets yesterday night after a bomb threat on an Air India Express flight.
The airline had received an email that there was a bomb on board flight AXB684 that was bound for Singapore, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said in a Facebook post.
According to reports, two F-15SG jets escorted the plane away from populated areas and it touched down at Changi Airport at around 10.04 pm, more than an hour after it was due to land.
The Singapore Police Force (SPF) said it was alerted to the bomb threat at about 8.25 pm.
"The plane landed safely at Changi Airport at about 10.04 pm, under the escort of RSAF fighter aircraft," SPF said.
According to reports, another Air India flight from Delhi to Chicago was diverted to Iqaluit airport in Canada on a day there were at least seven hoax threats received for various Indian airlines.
An X handle issued threats to four planes - two Air India Express flights, a SpiceJet plane, an Akasa flight, an Air India plane, and an Alliance Air. Besides, an Indigo flight from Saudi Arabia made an emergency landing in Jaipur following a bomb threat, reported news agency PTI.
Security agencies carried out precautionary checks after bomb threats were made via the X handle, which tagged airlines and police handles. The threats were later declared hoaxes.
Reports in India Today said a similar bomb scare occurred on Monday, targeting three international flights from Mumbai.
All the messages on Monday were declared a hoax after security, intelligence agencies, airlines and airport operators carried out anti-terrorist security drills.
The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has been working with cybersecurity agencies and police to trace the culprits behind the threats. - October 16, 2024
