Bomb hoax forces Chicago-bound flight to make emergency landing in remote Arctic city
The Air India plane landed in the chilly Arctic territory of Nunavut
An Air India passenger recorded his experience in the airline's first-class cabin and exposed the unclean conditions he encountered. The footage shows dirt around his seat and ripped furnishings. (Credit: Anip Patel / @mondayswithmohan via TMX)
An Air India flight en route to Chicago was forced to land in a remote Canadian city on Monday due to a bomb threat, officials say.
According to data posted by FlightAware, the plane left Delhi and touched down at Iqaluit International Airport in Iqaluit, Canada, at around 5:30 a.m. Tuesday morning. Iqaluit is the capital of the Nunavut territory.
A spokesperson for Iqaluit International Airport told local outlet Nuvanut News that an "unspecified bomb threat from a person in India to Air India" caused the emergency stop. When the pilot became aware of the threat, the plane prepared to land in Iqaluit.
Air India confirmed the incident in a post on X Tuesday.
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An Air India flight was forced to land in Nunavut due to a bomb scare. (iStock/Getty Images / Getty Images)
"Flight Al127 operating from Delhi to Chicago on October 15, 2024, was the subject of a security threat posted online and, as a precautionary measure, has landed at Iqaluit Airport in Canada," the airline's post read.
"The aircraft and passengers are being re-screened as per the laid down security protocol," Air India's statement added. "Air India has activated agencies at the airport to assist the passengers until such time that their journey can resume."
The Indian airline noted that it has received a number of fake bomb threats in recent days, as have other airlines.
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The Iqaluit International Airport in Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada, on Monday, Nov. 6, 2023. (David Kawai/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
"Though all [threats] have subsequently been found to be hoaxes, as a responsible airline operator, all threats are taken seriously," Air India said. "The inconvenience to customers is sincerely regretted."
The airline is cooperating with authorities to find who was responsible for the hoaxes. Air India even threatened to take civil action against the perpetrator.
"Air India is extending all cooperation to authorities in identifying the perpetrators of such threats to ensure they are held accountable for the disruption and inconvenience caused to passengers, and will consider legal action against those responsible to recover damages incurred by the airline," the statement concluded.
Air India Airbus A350-900 aircraft spotted flying for landing at the runway of London Heathrow Airport LHR in the United Kingdom on September 11, 2024. (Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images / Getty Images)
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Authorities are actively investigating the incident. There are no additional details at this time.