A meeting involving Air India and Vistara was held this Tuesday evening, with the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology reprimanding social media platform X for circulating bomb threat hoaxes. The ministry also advised social media platforms to use AI-based mechanisms to block any accounts sending out bulk messages about bombs. Over the past eight days, more than 170 flights operated by Indian carriers have received bomb threats, prompting authorities to urge social media platforms to take immediate action.
An increase in hoax bomb threats through social media have disrupted multiple flights of Indian airlines over the past few days. On Sunday, 24 flights received threats, with one flight being diverted and others declaring emergencies. The threats came from anonymous and unverified accounts, showing the potential dangers of using social media for false alarms. Despite most threats being considered fake, airlines and aviation authorities take them seriously, causing disruptions and financial losses for airlines. The affected airlines, including IndiGo, Akasa Air, Vistara, and Air India, confirmed the threats and followed security protocols with the relevant authorities.
The safety and security of Indian flights was put at risk this past week as over 70 flights have received bomb threats, with 10 being targeted in India over the weekend. IndiGo Airlines confirmed its awareness of the situation, with one of its flights receiving a threat while en route from Mumbai to Istanbul. The government has been closely monitoring the situation and a suspect responsible for issuing threats to three flights has been arrested.
In a series of false bomb threats to Indian airlines, a teenager, his father, and another person were issued a notice by the Mumbai police to join questioning. The threats, which were posted on social media platform X, targeted three international flights originating from Mumbai. Following investigations, the connection to these threats was traced to Rajnandgaon, and the authorities have taken legal action to prevent further misuse and ensure the safety of passengers and airport operations.