An Air India flight travelling from Frankfurt to Delhi was diverted to Jaipur on Wednesday after reportedly transmitting Squawk 7500, the internationally recognised transponder code used to signal a hijacking or unlawful interference.
Flight AI 2030 landed safely at Jaipur International Airport after the alert was reportedly received by Ahmedabad Air Traffic Control (ATC) as the aircraft approached Indian airspace.
While initial reports suggested a bomb threat, a report says that the alert was linked to a hijacking rumour. An official investigation is underway.
The aircraft was moved to an isolation bay, where the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), local police and the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) began inspecting the plane and passengers’ luggage. All passengers and crew members were safely evacuated to a designated holding area inside the terminal.
Airport authorities and Air India had not issued an official statement at the time of reporting. Further details about the origin and nature of the alert remain awaited.
The incident comes amid heightened regional security concerns that have disrupted Indian airlines’ operations to Saudi Arabia. Air India Express suspended flights to and from Dammam, Jeddah and Riyadh until October 17, offering affected passengers complimentary rescheduling or full refunds.
Air India extended its Riyadh flight suspension until October 15, while IndiGo also cancelled services to Riyadh and Dammam until October 15. Akasa Air has also disrupted services to affected destinations.
The suspensions follow reported drone and missile attacks targeting Saudi infrastructure, including Riyadh airport, amid escalating regional tensions involving Iran and the United States.
