There is a rising trend of threatening calls targeting flights, prompting the government to take swift action. The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) is developing new legislation to tackle this issue, ensuring strict rules are in place for those making threat calls. Top sources confirm consultations with the Law Department are underway to effectuate this soon. Adjustments to the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) standards are also forthcoming. It's suggested that offenders be placed on the no-fly list to curb this menace.
Intelligence suggests that 90% of bomb threat calls originate from foreign lands. Investigations are in motion to scrutinize these calls. The Bomb Threat Assessment Team (BTAC) has been deployed across all airports to promptly respond to such threats.
Thus far, data indicates 90% of bomb threat calls are international, with only 10% domestic. The Ministry of Home Affairs has alerted the Cyber Wing (I4C), CERT-IN, and local police to examine these foreign threat calls. Authorities are exploring VPNs and IP addresses related to these calls and emails. Multiple meetings have taken place between the Home Ministry, Civil Aviation Ministry, CISF, BTAC, and IB to strategize response measures. Airports and related agencies have been instructed to remain on high alert. Shockingly, over 20 flights have received bomb threats in just the past three days. Just one day prior, an Akasa Air flight from Delhi to Bengaluru received a bomb threat, prompting its immediate return to Delhi's IGI Airport as per standard safety protocols. Earlier, an Air India Express flight was also threatened with a bomb on Tuesday.
