By Shreyanka Nandan
A Boeing 777 aircraft flying as flight no. AI119 on 9th March heading towards New York had to make a mid-air turnback due to a security threat. After take-off, when the flight was flying at 30,000 feet above Azerbaijan, the pilots were instructed to make an emergency turn back to its origin. As per reports, the aircraft carrying 303 passengers and 19 crew members landed safely at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai at 10:25 am.
In an official statement, Air India made a confirmation of the incident by stating that the turnaround was executed for safety purposes following the security norms. After fulfilling the necessary protocols, the flight returned to Mumbai with all the passengers. The nature of the security threat was not disclosed by the authorities, but they are conducting a thorough investigation.
When it touched down, security agencies immediately directed mandatory checks of the plane, and Air India assured complete cooperation with the authorities throughout their ongoing assessment. There has been no confirmation regarding the exact nature of the security threat, but all standard operating procedures in such a scenario were followed strictly, officials stated.
Post the disruption, Air India had a speedy setup in place to accommodate all concerned passengers and their aid. “The flight has been rescheduled to fly at 5 am on March 11, and hotel accommodation, food, and all requisite support have been provided to all the passengers,” said the
airline in affirmation. Mumbai airport passengers stood where they were allotted as the airline ground handling officials worked to minimize inconvenience. Though some passengers had a complaint against the delay, others appreciated the airline for quickly taking measures to ensure their safety. “It’s unfortunate, but safety takes priority. Air India has handled the situation nicely,” said one passenger traveling on AI119. Air India renewed its commitment to passenger safety, stating, “Our ground people are making all efforts to minimize inconvenience owing to this disruption. As always, Air India gives utmost priority to the safety of passengers and crew.” Aviation security authorities indicated mid-air diversions for security purposes, while rare, are taken with utmost seriousness. The authorities will be required to release more information about the incident once they have finished their investigations. The incident became a part of a global trend towards enhanced aviation security concerns, with carriers becoming more risk-averse. Flight travelers have been advised to stay abreast of their flight status through official Air India communication channels for future flying. The airline is working to get back to its normal operations; passengers are hopeful that after rescheduling the flight will take off safely without any glitches.