Tensions rose at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Shamshabad early Tuesday morning after a British Airways flight arriving from London Heathrow became the target of a bomb threat. The aircraft, Flight BA 277, landed safely at approximately 1:00 AM, with all passengers and crew reported secure.
The Incident
The threat was reportedly received via an email sent to the customer support service of the Hyderabad airport on Monday. The message specifically claimed that an explosive device had been placed on the British Airways flight originating from London.
Upon receiving the alert, airport authorities immediately activated Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for bomb threats:
- Isolation Bay: The aircraft was directed to a remote isolation bay immediately after touchdown to minimize risk to the terminal and other aircraft.
- Deplaning and Screening: All passengers were deboarded under the supervision of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). Both passengers and their cabin luggage underwent secondary security screenings.
- Intensive Search: The Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) and sniffer dogs conducted a comprehensive sweep of the cabin and the cargo hold.
Hoax Declared
Following several hours of rigorous inspection, security agencies found no suspicious items or explosives. The threat was officially declared a hoax. Sources at the airport confirmed that once the aircraft was cleared, it was allowed to resume its schedule and has since departed for its return journey to London Heathrow.
Pattern of Threats
This incident is part of a worrying recent surge in hoax bomb threats targeting international flights arriving in Hyderabad.
- December 6: Both British Airways and Kuwait Airways received similar threats.
- December 5: An Emirates flight from Dubai was targeted.
- December 4: An IndiGo flight from Medina to Hyderabad was forced to divert to Ahmedabad due to an emailed threat.
The RGIA police and the cybercrime wing have registered a case and are currently investigating the origin of these emails, which are often routed through Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to hide the sender's identity.
