Hyderabad, Dec 2 (IANS) An IndiGo flight from Kuwait to Hyderabad was diverted to Mumbai on Tuesday after authorities at Hyderabad Airport received a bomb threat.

Flight 6E-1234 was diverted midair after a threat message was received at the customer support at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) at 05.12 a.m., official sources said.

The flight with 235 passengers was forced into emergency diversion but landed safely at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) at 07.47 a.m.

After the landing, the aircraft was moved to an isolated bay as part of emergency procedures. Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel, with the help of bomb disposal squads, reportedly conducted a thorough check. All passengers and crew were safe.

The Airbus A321-251NX aircraft had departed Kuwait at 1.31 a.m. and was scheduled to land at Hyderabad Airport at 8.10 a.m.

After receiving the email warning of an explosive device on the aircraft, officials at RGIA alerted authorities concerned, and as per the established security protocol, the flight was diverted to Mumbai Airport.

Authorities were trying to check the source of the threat. RGIA police registered a case and took up further investigation.

This is the second incident in 10 days in which an international flight coming to Hyderabad was diverted to Mumbai due to a bomb threat.

On November 23, a Gulf Air flight from Bahrain to Hyderabad was diverted to Mumbai after a bomb threat was received at Hyderabad Airport.

Flight GF274 with 154 passengers on board was diverted to Mumbai Airport after an email was received at Hyderabad Airport that a bomb was planted on the aircraft.

After a thorough security check, the bomb threat proved to be a hoax. The flight later took off from Mumbai and landed at Hyderabad Airport.

Bahrain’s national carrier, Gulf Air, said the aircraft landed safely and continued its journey after the relevant authorities completed the approved safety protocols, arriving at its final destination at Hyderabad Airport.

Earlier, similar bomb threats were received by Hyderabad Airport authorities.

In June, a Hyderabad-bound Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt returned to the German airport after a bomb threat was received at the Hyderabad Airport.

–IANS

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