An Air India flight bound for Delhi from Phuket, Thailand, was forced to make an emergency landing on Friday after receiving a bomb threat mid-air, according to officials at Phuket International Airport.
The flight, AI 379, had taken off from Phuket at approximately 9:30 AM local time but turned back while cruising over the Andaman Sea after the crew was alerted to a security threat onboard. Authorities said the pilot executed a mid-air turnaround and safely landed the aircraft back at Phuket International Airport.
“All 156 passengers onboard were safely evacuated in accordance with standard emergency protocols,” an official from Airports of Thailand (AOT) confirmed. Security personnel conducted thorough checks on the aircraft immediately after landing.
A preliminary search yielded no explosives onboard, and officials reported that no bomb had been discovered as of the latest inspection. However, Thai airport authorities are questioning the passenger who reported discovering a threatening note during the flight. Details regarding the contents of the note or its origin have not yet been released.
The incident disrupted flight schedules at the airport for a brief period as emergency services secured the aircraft and its surroundings. AOT stated that it is coordinating with Thai law enforcement and Air India representatives to investigate the matter further.
The aircraft’s flight path showed it making a sweeping turn above the Andaman Sea before returning to the Thai island, according to data from flight tracking website Flightradar24. The pilot’s quick decision to return to Phuket has been credited with ensuring the safety of all passengers and crew.
Air India has not yet issued a formal statement regarding the incident. A request for comment sent to the airline remained unanswered at the time of publication.
This security scare comes just a day after a separate Air India tragedy near Ahmedabad, where a flight en route to London crashed shortly after takeoff, claiming the lives of more than 240 people. The cause of that crash remains under investigation.
While Friday’s Phuket incident did not result in any casualties or injuries, it has raised fresh concerns about aviation security. Indian airports and airlines have faced a surge in hoax bomb threats in recent years. Government data indicates that nearly 1,000 bomb threats—most later determined to be false alarms—were recorded across the country in the first 10 months of last year alone. This marked a nearly tenfold increase from 2023.
Aviation analysts warn that the growing number of such incidents, whether real or hoax, poses operational challenges and heightens anxiety among passengers and crew. “While no actual bomb was found today, the safety of passengers must remain the top priority,” said an aviation security expert familiar with international protocols.
Passengers from AI 379 were taken to a secure area inside Phuket airport and were being provided assistance, including alternate travel arrangements. It remains unclear when they will be able to continue their journey to Delhi.
Airport officials confirmed that standard international procedures were followed during the emergency, including the deployment of bomb disposal squads, canine units, and specialized security teams to inspect the aircraft and cargo.
As of now, no group has claimed responsibility for the bomb threat, and investigators are treating it as an isolated incident. Surveillance footage from inside the aircraft and at boarding gates is being reviewed, and passenger manifests are under scrutiny to identify any potential leads.
The heightened alert comes amid global concerns over airline safety, especially in regions experiencing rising geopolitical tensions and an uptick in aviation-related threats.
More updates are expected from Thai and Indian aviation authorities as the investigation progresses.
