New Delhi: Indian airlines have been subjected to nearly 1,000 fake bomb threats this year, as reported by local media on Thursday. This alarming trend has raised concerns over aviation security and passenger safety across the country.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol, addressed the parliament, revealing that airlines received a total of 1,143 hoax calls from August 2022 to November 13 this year. He detailed that 27 hoax bomb threat calls were recorded between August and December 2022. This figure escalated to 122 in 2023, and the current year has seen a dramatic increase, with 994 calls reported by mid-November 2024.

The minister disclosed that October alone saw a staggering 680 hoax calls, highlighting the intensity of the threats faced by airlines. These false alarms not only cause panic but also disrupt flight operations and lead to significant financial losses.

In a recent incident, a Vistara Airlines flight from Frankfurt, Germany, to Mumbai, Indi
a, received a security threat via social media. The flight managed to land safely at Mumbai Airport, averting any potential danger. Another notable case involved an Air India flight with 211 passengers onboard, which had to make an emergency landing in Canada’s High Arctic region following an online threat.

These incidents underscore the urgent need for enhanced security measures and cooperation between international aviation authorities to tackle the growing menace of hoax threats. The government is expected to take proactive steps to address this issue and ensure the safety of passengers and crew members.