Air India Flight AI119, en route from Mumbai to New York, had to return to Mumbai on Monday after a potential security threat was detected mid-flight.
The flight safely landed at 10:25 am local time, and Air India confirmed that the aircraft is undergoing mandatory security checks, with the airline fully cooperating with the authorities.
“The aircraft is undergoing mandatory security checks, and Air India is providing full cooperation to the authorities. The flight has been rescheduled to depart at 05:00 Hrs on 11 March 2025, and all passengers have been offered accommodation, meals, and other assistance in the meantime,” the airline stated.
Air India emphasized that the safety of its passengers and crew is their top priority. “Our ground staff is working to minimize the inconvenience caused to passengers. As always, the safety of passengers and crew is Air India’s highest priority,” the statement added.
Originally scheduled to fly from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai to John F Kennedy Airport in New York, the Boeing 777, carrying 303 passengers and 19 crew members, diverted its path over Azerbaijan before returning to Mumbai. Once on the ground, bomb-detection procedures were carried out, and it was later confirmed that the threat was a hoax, according to NDTV.
In 2024, a series of bomb threats targeting various flights raised alarms about aviation safety in the country. Though all the threats were hoaxes, they caused major disruptions to airline operations, affecting both passengers and crew.
When a bomb threat occurs mid-flight, an alert is issued, and the Bomb Threat Assessment Committee (BTAC) is quickly convened to assess the situation and decide on the appropriate response.
