A London-bound Air India flight received a bomb threat on Tuesday, but no explosives were found after an extensive search. Authorities arrested a man suspected of making the threatening call, according to a Cochin International Airport spokesperson.
The incident began when a bomb threat was received by the Air India call center in Mumbai for flight AI 149, which was scheduled to depart from Cochin to London Gatwick. The alert was immediately communicated to Air India in Kochi, prompting the formation of a Bomb Threat Assessment Committee (BTAC) which was dispatched to Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL).
Security personnel from the Airport Security Group (ASG-CISF), along with airline security staff and inline baggage screening systems, conducted thorough checks of the aircraft. After finding no evidence of explosives or any other danger, the flight was cleared to proceed as planned.
Subsequent investigations focused on identifying the individual responsible for the bomb threat call. It was determined that Suhaib, a 29-year-old resident of Kerala's Malappuram district, made the call. Suhaib was scheduled to travel to London on the AI 149 flight along with his wife and daughter.
Suhaib was intercepted at the international departure terminal of Cochin Airport during the check-in process. "He has since been handed over to the police for further questioning and legal action," the airport spokesperson said.
