Jaipur/New Delhi: A false hijack alert created a real scare for security agencies and the 306 people on board Air India’s Frankfurt-Delhi flight Wednesday, with the Boeing 787 getting diverted to Jaipur as a result where everyone had to wait for over five hours before they could fly to their destination. It is reliably learnt pilots operating the flight, AI 2030, did not squawk the code 7500 used to convey a hijack or unlawful interference, which has to be punched on a keypad like four letter code to unlock phones.Still the recently installed air traffic control radar system at Mumbai, which is now an enroute ATC due to longer routes taken by Indian aircraft flying between Delhi and the west, somehow conveyed that scary message for the erstwhile Vistara B787-9 (VT-TSE). “Once that happened, Mumbai ATC spoke to the pilots who reported that all operations were normal on the flight. But protocols have to be followed in situations like this and so the plane was asked to divert,” said people in the know.Why the false scare happened is now the subject of a probe by both aviation and security agencies, with Mumbai ATC’s new systems being looked at closely. Incidentally, air traffic control has been headless as Airport Authority of India’s position of member (air navigation services) has been vacant for some time now and AAI itself does not have a regular chairman. It remains to be seen how headless AAI’s headless ANS tackles the issue of reportedly false scares that have such an impact on passengers, crew members, security agencies and airline schedules apart from added costs.Sources said Mumbai Oceanic Control Centre received an alert indicating that the hijack code had been activated by the pilots while the aircraft was flying over the Arabian Sea. The flight was taking the longer route to Delhi as Pakistani airspace continues to remain closed to Indian aircraft. However, the pilots denied having raised the alert.
An Air India flight from Frankfurt to Delhi, which was diverted to Jaipur on Wednesday after a hijack alert was received, landed in Delhi after a five hour delay, with the same crew after security agencies conducted an exhaustive search of the aircraft.
Flight AI2030, operated by a Boeing 787-9 aircraft carrying 306 passengers, landed safely at Jaipur International Airport at around 9:35 am. Teams from Intelligence Bureau, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), Rajasthan Police’s Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), city police and other security units rushed to the airport after the alert.Passengers were evacuated and security personnel conducted an intensive search of the aircraft and baggage. “Nothing suspicious was found, and the aircraft was cleared for take-off after an exhaustive search,” a senior police officer told TOI.
Leaving the Jaipur airport after the safety checks
The two pilots were also questioned by security agencies, though officials declined to disclose the outcome. Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is examining the matter, sources said.
