Mumbai: A Vistara flight operating from Mumbai to Frankfurt was forced to make an emergency landing at Erzurum Airport in Turkey on Friday evening following a bomb threat onboard.
Precautionary Landing and Evacuation
Flight UK27, carrying 247 passengers and crew, landed safely at Erzurum Airport at 7:05 PM IST. All passengers and cabin crew were promptly evacuated without incident.
Discovery of the Threat
The alarm was raised when a cabin crew member discovered a written bomb threat in one of the aircraft’s toilets. The crew immediately alerted the authorities, triggering a full-scale security response.
Official Statement from Vistara
A Vistara spokesperson confirmed the incident, stating, “Vistara flight UK 27 operating from Mumbai to Frankfurt on 06 September 2024 has been diverted to Turkey due to a security concern noted by our crew while onboard. The aircraft has safely landed at Erzurum Airport. As per protocol, the relevant authorities were immediately alerted, and we are fully cooperating with the security agencies to complete the mandatory security checks. At Vistara, the safety and security of our customers, crew, and aircraft remain our highest priority”.
Social Media Update
The airline also posted an update on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “Flight UK27 from Mumbai to Frankfurt (BOM-FRA) has been diverted to Turkey (Erzurum airport) due to security reasons and has landed safely at 1905 hours. Please stay tuned for further updates”.
Recent Similar Incidents
This incident follows a series of similar events involving Indian airlines. In July, an Air India flight from New Delhi to San Francisco was diverted to Krasnoyarsk International Airport in Russia due to a technical issue. All 225 passengers and 19 crew members were safely evacuated. In June, an Akasa Air flight from Delhi to Mumbai was diverted to Ahmedabad after receiving a security alert. The aircraft, carrying 186 passengers, one infant, and six crew members, landed safely at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
