An Indian passenger plane linking Frankfurt and Bombay was the victim of a false bomb threat, the airline Vistara announced on Thursday, after other similar incidents targeting Indian companies this week.
The plane, which took off on Wednesday from the German city of Frankfurt towards the Indian financial capital, received a “security threat” on social media, but landed safely in Mumbai, Vistara reported in a press release.
“We are fully cooperating with security agencies to complete mandatory security checks,” the airline added.
More than a dozen false bomb threats were made against flights operated this week by several Indian carriers.
Indian police have “arrested a minor responsible for making bomb threats targeting three flights,” Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said in a statement Wednesday evening.
“All others responsible for these disturbances will be identified and duly prosecuted,” he added.
Among the affected flights, an Air India route linking New Delhi to Chicago, in the United States, was forced to make an emergency landing in Canada on Tuesday.
Singapore on Tuesday mobilized fighter jets to escort an Air India Express plane after an email circulated about a possible bomb on board, the city-state’s defense ministry said. Two F-15 planes were deployed to escort the aircraft “away from populated areas”. The plane finally landed safely at Changi Airport, Singapore.
