An international IndiGo flight bound for Dammam, Saudi Arabia, from Lucknow made an emergency landing at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad on Thursday evening after air traffic control received a bomb threat mid-flight.

Flight 6E 097, which took off from Lucknow around 4:00 PM with 133 on board including the crew, was diverted to Ahmedabad while cruising through regional airspace. The pilot alerted local Air Traffic Control immediately upon receiving the threat, landing the aircraft safely at approximately 5:55 PM.

Bomb Threat on Tissue Paper

The threat was found written on a tissue paper, which has now been recovered by the security agencies. The handwriting samples of all the passengers on board are being collected at the time of writing this, to match the handwriting found on the threat.

Immediate Isolation and Evacuation

Air traffic controllers immediately directed the aircraft to a remote isolation bay away from the main terminal buildings rather than standard parking bays. Emergency teams and airport security marshals evacuated all passengers safely onto the tarmac before moving them to the terminal.

• Immediate Protocol: Security personnel secured the perimeter around the isolated aircraft within minutes of touchdown.
• Passenger Safety: Ground staff escorted passengers to designated holding zones to clear the aircraft for detailed inspection.

Security Agencies Launch Comprehensive Search

Security agencies, including the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) and airport security personnel, mounted an intensive search operation across the aircraft.

Teams are inspecting cargo holds, passenger cabins, and carry-on luggage under standard civil aviation security protocols. Authorities are verifying the origin of the threat, while further official details regarding the search outcomes remain awaited.

This comes days after an Air India Express flight operating from Dammam to Delhi was forced to divert to Ahmedabad airport on August 31 after a crew member discovered a note bearing the word “bomb” inside the aircraft's lavatory.