More Flights Receive Bomb Threats, India Activates Emergency Landing Protocols

COLOMBO (News 1st): India's Bureau of Civil Aviation Security has stressed that the Indian skies are absolutely safe.

Director General of Bureau of Civil Aviation Security Zulfiquar Hasan urged the passengers to fly without fear.

However, several flights across India received bomb threats yet again today, prompting the authorities to activate emergency protocols and pilots to land their aircraft before reaching their destinations.

A discussion was held between India's Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and representatives of airline companies regarding the recent bomb threats directed at Indian aircraft.

Just yesterday, there were calls and messages claiming that bombs were on 32 aircraft belonging to Indian airlines.

Over the past six days, more than 70 anonymous calls regarding bomb threats to domestic and international flights in India have been received, all of which have now been confirmed as hoaxes by India's Bureau of Civil Aviation Security.

Officials said the person accused of providing false information has been put on a no-fly list, and an account that reported 46 bomb threat incidents has also been banned.

The Airport and Aviation Services Sri Lanka Private Limited reported that a nonspecific bomb threat call was made to the captain of a flight travelling from Mumbai to Colombo 10 minutes before landing at Bandaranaike International Airport yesterday.

According to reports, India's Ministry of Civil Aviation is in talks with the other concerned ministries to make required amendments in the existing laws to make them more stringent to deal with the cases of hoax bomb threats for flights.

A committee will be formed to prepare a draft to make amendments to the Aircraft Act, 1934 and Aircraft Rules, 1937 and subordinate legislations to ensure a 5-year imprisonment as well as placing offenders on a no-fly list for hoax bomb threats for flights.