Kolkata: Plane makes emergency landing after woman makes hoax bomb threat mid-air

A Mumbai-bound Air Asia flight carrying 114 passengers from Kolkata to Mumbai had to return and make an emergency landing at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) airport after a female passenger made a bomb threat. An emergency was declared by the ATC at 11 pm, reports said and the flight was taken to the isolation bay upon landing. According to reports, the 25-year-old woman, identified as Mohini Mondol, was later arrested. A resident of Salt Lake, Mondol told the police that she works in a press owned by her father.

The investigation

On Saturday night, minutes later after the AirAsia flight I5316 took off around 10 pm from Kolkata, a woman passenger informed the crew she had bombs and threatened to detonate them following which the flight informed the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) that it was returning to Kolkata. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel arrested the passenger and took her to the Barrackpore court. Sources said she might be mentally unstable.

READ | Rajinikanth Takes The Promotions Of Darbar To Another Level With A Customised Airplane

READ | Death Toll Reaches 15 In Kazakhstan Airplane Crash, Several Injured

According to reports, police said the woman on board gave a note to one of the cabin crew after 40 minutes of flying. She asked the crew to deliver the note to the pilot. The note said that there were bombs strapped to her body and she would detonate them any moment. The pilot informed the air traffic controller (ATC) that it was returning to Kolkata due to the bomb threat.

A full emergency was declared by the ATC at 11 pm. After the plane landed at the NSCBI airport, it was taken to the isolation bay at 11:46 pm. A thorough search of the plane was carried out and later the aviation regulator cleared the aircraft, officials said. No explosive material was found on the plane. The reason, as to why the passenger made such a claim is being investigated.

READ | Python Jets Off On Airplane From Australia To New Zealand, Officials Rescue

READ | Etihad Announces More Fuel-efficient Airplane 'Greenliner' With Boeing