US-bound Air India makes precautionary landing at Stansted Airport

A United States-bound Air India flight from Mumbai made a precautionary landing at London's Stansted Airport on Thursday.

The landing occurred as a result of a bomb scare, forcing the Royal Air Force (RAF) to scramble its fighter jets to escort the flight. The Typhoon jets were called in to escort Flight AI 191 at around 09.50 am local time. However, the bomb scare turned out to be a hoax.

"AI 191 Mumbai-Newark of June 27 has made a precautionary landing at London's Stansted airport due to a bomb threat," the national carrier said. 

All 327 passengers have been deplaned and the Boeing 777-300ER plane remains grounded at the Stansted Airport, an Air India spokesperson said. The passengers are temporarily halted in the airport premises. Earlier, the airline, in a tweet had said that the plane made a precautionary landing at London's Stansted airport due to a "bomb threat."

However, the UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) termed it a move for operational reasons.

"The Typhoon aircraft were authorised to transit at supersonic speed to escort Air India plane for operational reasons," an MoD statement said.