Hijack threat found on Air India flight at Kolkata airport
An Airbus A320neo bound for Mumbai was moved to an isolation bay after a threat note was discovered in the washroom.
An Air India flight, AI 772, triggered a security alert at Kolkata airport on Wednesday morning after a hijack threat was discovered before its scheduled departure to Mumbai. The aircraft, an Airbus A320neo, was scheduled to depart at 10.20 am, according to Kolkata airport director Vikram Singh.
The Telegraph India reported that a note on a tissue paper, which threatened the plane would be hijacked at 11.10 am, was found in the aircraft's washroom. News18 cited sources stating a message related to a hijack threat was also reportedly spotted written on the mirror inside the washroom.
Following the discovery, Kolkata airport director Vikram Singh said all passengers who had boarded the aircraft were deboarded. The aircraft was then moved to an isolation bay for a thorough inspection and necessary precautionary measures.
According to reports from Urban Acres and News18, the pilot sent an alert message to the Air Traffic Control (ATC) moments before take-off. Security protocols were immediately activated as the plane was moved to the isolation bay to allow checks away from the normal boarding and departure flow.
Authorities have not yet issued an official statement regarding the cause of the alert or the operational impact on the flight.