EMERGENCY LANDING BY TURKISH AIRLINES FLIGHT AFTER BOMB SCARE

A flight belonging to Turkish Airlines from Bangkok with 148 passengers onboard landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi | File Photo: AP

Via TheNewIndianExpress (TNIE)

NEW DELHI: An Istanbul-bound Turkish Airlines flight from Bangkok with 148 passengers onboard landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here under full emergency conditions due to a bomb scare.

The plane, an Airbus 330, landed safely at 1341 hours today, taken to an isolation bay, sources said, adding "it appears to be a hoax".

"The pilot was informed of a message written with lipstick on the mirror of one of the plane's washrooms that there was a bomb in the cargo hold of the aircraft, leading the pilot to seek Nagpur ATC's permission to land the aircraft there. He directed the pilot to approach the Delhi ATC," the sources said.

Following this, the aircraft was diverted to Delhi and where it landed at 1341 hours, they added.

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma said NSG and bomb disposal squad were pressed into service. "No explosive was found inside the cabin. The cargo portion is being checked," he said, adding the process may take about three hours.

He said the entire area was cordoned off and the fire brigade was alerted.