In a tense moment captured from the cockpit, an Air India pilot calmly informed air traffic controllers that a suspected bomb was on board Flight AIC129 from Mumbai to London. The pilot’s request for an emergency landing prompted RAF Typhoon fighter jets to be scrambled, escorting the Boeing 777 into Heathrow as part of the active bomb threat alert.
The chilling exchange took place as the flight approached its destination. The pilot can be heard saying, “There is a suspected bomb on board, requesting landing sir. We have a bomb threat. Air India 129 is requesting this.”
The incident occurred amid a spate of fake bomb threats targeting Indian-operated flights, with more than a dozen similar threats reported in recent days. Indian civil aviation authorities have vowed to take “very strict action” against those responsible.
Flight AIC129 was safely escorted by the RAF jets as it circled in a holding pattern before being cleared for landing at Heathrow. The dramatic event follows a string of threats made against Indian airlines, including another Air India flight from New Delhi to Chicago, which made an emergency landing in Canada earlier in the week due to a bomb scare.
In response to the surge in threats, India’s aviation minister, Ram Mohan Naidu, confirmed that police had arrested a minor responsible for issuing bomb threats against three flights. Authorities continue to work with security agencies to identify and prosecute others involved.
Despite the alarming threat, Flight AIC129 was safely cleared, and no explosives were found. India’s Vistara airline also reported a similar incident earlier in the week when a flight from Frankfurt to Mumbai received a security threat via social media. The aircraft safely landed at its intended destination.
India’s civil aviation ministry is coordinating with international security agencies to investigate these threats and prevent further disruption.
