False bomb threats against Indian airlines cause chaos

A report in the Indian Express said an anonymous account on X, formerly Twitter, was suspended after posting bomb threats against at least 40 flights on Friday and Saturday.

This included flights operated by Indian and international airlines, including some from the United States and New Zealand.

“There are bombs placed on board… No one will make it out alive. Hurry and evacuate the plane,” read the same messages from the suspended account, the newspaper reported.

Among the recently affected flights was an Air India flight from Mumbai to New York, with US security officials sweeping away the plane after it landed safely on Saturday.

Other affected flights included an Air India plane from New Delhi to Chicago, which was forced to make an emergency landing on Tuesday in the far northern Canadian city of Iqaluit.

The Canadian Air Force had to transport the passengers.

The same day, Singapore dispatched fighter jets to escort an Air India Express plane.

British Royal Air Force fighter jets escorted an Air India Boeing 777-300 on Thursday after a threat was made against the plane, which landed safely in London.

On Friday, a Vistara flight connecting New Delhi to London had to be diverted to Frankfurt in Germany.