The spate of hoax bomb threats targeting Indian airlines continued on Sunday, affecting 24 flights and forcing security measures, including emergency declarations and one flight diversion. Most threats originated from an anonymous and unverified social media account on platform X (formerly Twitter), under the handle @schizophreniqqq, which was later suspended.
The surge in bomb hoaxes began earlier in the week when another account, @adamlanza111, posted threats affecting 46 flights on Friday and Saturday. As of Sunday, the number of bomb hoaxes received by Indian airlines this week surpassed 90, causing significant disruptions.
While the majority of these threats are ultimately deemed fake, airlines and aviation authorities treat them with utmost seriousness. The resulting security checks often cause delays and financial setbacks for airlines, as safety procedures must be followed, sometimes leading to flight rescheduling.
Among the affected airlines, six flights each from IndiGo, Akasa Air, Vistara, and Air India were threatened on Sunday. Following security inspections, all threats were declared false. However, Vistara’s Delhi-Frankfurt flight UK27 was forced to return to Delhi after the threat was received while flying near Pakistani airspace.
A Vistara spokesperson confirmed receiving threats to six of its flights operating on October 20, 2024, including international routes from Singapore, Frankfurt, and Bali. Other airlines, including IndiGo and Akasa Air, issued similar statements, detailing how their emergency response teams activated standard operating procedures to manage the threats.
Government agencies are intensifying efforts to trace the individuals or groups responsible for these threats. However, the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) by the perpetrators has made tracking them more difficult. Authorities are collaborating with social media platforms and VPN service providers to investigate the sources of these threats.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) have also been working with the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) to formalize stricter measures, including banning individuals behind such hoaxes from flying. Discussions are underway to amend current laws to enforce harsher punishments for those found guilty of issuing bomb threats.
Despite efforts to curb the threats, incidents have continued to rise. Earlier in the week, a minor from Chhattisgarh was apprehended in connection with threats issued on Monday. However, as social media hoaxes persist, authorities are racing to find a more effective solution to this growing menace.