A Kolkata-Mumbai Air India flight was stopped before take-off on Wednesday after a note threatening a hijacking was found in the aircraft’s washroom, prompting security agencies to deboard 93 passengers and five crew members at Kolkata airport.
According to an official cited in the report, the aircraft was scheduled to depart for Mumbai at 10:20 am. After the note was discovered before take-off, the crew informed the pilot, who alerted air traffic control. Security officials then moved the Airbus A320neo to an isolation bay for checks.
The note reportedly stated that the aircraft would be hijacked at 11:10 am. The passengers were taken off the plane before the aircraft was parked separately. The flight was operating with a Vistara livery, according to the report.
The incident brought normal airport operations to a halt for the aircraft while security agencies began examining both the plane and passenger baggage. The Central Industrial Security Force, bomb-disposal personnel and other security agencies were reported to be conducting detailed searches.
Investigators were also examining airport and aircraft CCTV footage to determine who may have written and placed the message. The report did not identify any person responsible for the note, and no official statement had been issued by the airport authority at the time of publication.
The response follows established aviation-security procedures for a suspected threat discovered before departure: isolate the aircraft, remove passengers and crew, and conduct searches before any decision on its movement or operation. For passengers, such incidents can cause delays and disruption even when the threat has not been independently confirmed.
The immediate operational status of the flight, including whether it would depart after the security checks, was not specified in the report. The investigation by the CISF, bomb-disposal team and other security agencies was continuing.
