Nothing Suspicious Found on Moscow-Goa Chartered Flight After ‘Bomb Threat’: Authorities

The National Security Guard (NSG) has found nothing suspicious on the Moscow-Goa flight, which made an emergency landing in Jamnagar in Gujarat on Monday evening after an alleged bomb threat. All 236 passengers and crew members are safe, according to the Jamnagar airport authorities.

The Azur Air international flight finally arrived at its destination in Goa on Tuesday afternoon, an official said. The flight carrying all the passengers and crew members took off from the Jamnagar airport around 1.20 pm on Tuesday, more than 15 hours after it made the emergency landing there. It landed at the Dabolim Airport in Goa at 2.39 pm, a senior official from the airport told PTI.

“A thorough search operation was conducted by NSG, police and BDS teams. Hand baggage, check-in baggage of passengers were also checked. The flight has been cleared (for take-off), after formalities it will depart for its destination, Goa. It was a hoax call,” said Jamnagar Collector Saurabh Parghi, as quoted by ANI.

According to sources, a call or email originated on the “bomb threat”, and the Air Force asked for diversion of the flight. It was not a “random hoax” call but information gone wrong.

The Russian Embassy in a statement said it had been informed of the alleged bomb scare and that everyone on board was safe. “The Embassy was alerted by Indian authorities about alleged bomb scare on Azur Air flight from Moscow to Goa. The aircraft made an emergency landing at Jamnagar Indian Air Force Base. Everyone on board is safe; authorities conducting an inspection of the aircraft,” it said.

Meanwhile, the security forces carried out an intensive search of the passengers onboard the flight. The Goa-bound flight was diverted to Jamnagar on Monday evening after the crew received a clearance for emergency landing at the Jamnagar airport following an alleged bomb threat, the airport authorities said.

Jamnagar district collector Parghi told ANI that “an intensive search was carried out by security agencies from 9.50 pm on Monday till the morning hours”.

“We received information about a bomb threat on the Moscow-Goa flight, which was diverted. The flight had 236 passengers and 8 crew members. All passengers were escorted out safely and are in the airport lounge. Bomb detection and disposal work are underway,” he had said earlier.

(with inputs from ANI)

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