A chartered flight from Moscow to Goa with 244 people onboard was diverted to Gujarat's Jamnagar, a move which was triggered after Goa Air traffic controller received a bomb threat, officials said on Monday.
"All the 236 passengers and crew members (8) were evacuated safely and the plane is being checked by local authorities along with the police and Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad," said Inspector General of Police (Rajkot and Jamnagar Range), Ashok Kumar Yadav.
The aircraft, say Jamnagar airport officials, is in an isolation bay.
"The Embassy was alerted by the Indian authorities about the alleged bomb scare on the Azur Air flight en route from Moscow to Goa. The aircraft has made an emergency landing at Jamnagar Indian Air Force Base. Everyone on board is safe. The authorities are conducting a thorough inspection of the aircraft," said the Russian Embassy in a statement.
The plane landed safely at Jamnagar (defence) airport at 9:49 pm, said Jamnagar airport director.
All passengers have been deboarded, he added.
Meanwhile, a Goa Police officer said the flight which took off from Moscow was supposed to land at the Dabolim airport. Goa Police has beefed up security in and around the Dabolim airport as a precaution, he said.
A Goa-bound charted flight from Moscow was diverted to Jamnagar in Gujarat after the Goa Air Traffic Control (ATC) received a bomb threat. The airport officials informed news agency ANI that currently the aircraft is under isolation bay and further investigation of the issue is underway.
“ Moscow-Goa chartered flight diverted to Jamnagar, Gujarat after Goa ATC received a bomb threat. Aircraft is under isolation bay, further investigation is underway," Airport officials to ANI.
The Goa received the information regarding the bomb on the flight through an e-mail after which emergency procedures kicked in. Bomb squads and fire-brigade teams have reached the spot along with local officials like the Collector and Superintendent of Police.
The aircraft was carrying around 240 passengers who were de-boarded after the emergency landing and the administration is scanning the aircraft for the possible explosives. “All 244 passengers on-board Moscow-Goa chartered flight de-boarded at the airport after the aircraft landed safely at the airport at around 9.49 pm," Jamnagar Airport Director to news agency ANI.
The Inspector General of Police (Rajkot and Jamnagar Range), Ashok Kumar Yadav said that all the passengers were de-boarded and the plane is being checked by local authorities along with the police and Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad.
" The plane going from Moscow to Goa was forced to make an emergency landing at Jamnagar airport due to a bomb threat. After landing, all 236 passengers and crew members were deboarded safely. Police, BDDS and local authorities are now searching the entire plane," news agency PTI quoted Yadav.
Jamnagar Superintendent of Police, Premsukh Delu told the media, “NSG team and local Bomb Detection & Disposal Squad (BDDS) teams are detecting the entire flight, only after the NSG gives clearance, the flight will be allowed to take off from Jamnagar and it is likely to take more time, as entire flight and passengers baggage is to be cleared by the teams.”
Meanwhile, security has been tightened outside Goa International Airport after the Goa ATC received a bomb threat. Deputy Superintendent of Police, Vasco, Salim Shaikh said that precautionary measures are being taken and a special force has been deployed at the airport to monitor the movement of people and track any suspicious activity.
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