Flight to Germany lands in Turkiye after bomb threat

MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: A Vistara flight from Mumbai to Frankfurt was forced to divert to eastern Turkiye following a bomb threat on Friday. According to sources, a message 'Bomb on airplane' was discovered on a tissue paper in the lavatory of the Vistara Boeing. A Vistara spokesperson confirmed that flight UK27 that had left Mumbai was diverted due to security concerns. The airline said the security issue was noted by their crew onboard the flight.

The aircraft (VT-TSQ) with 247 people on board, including 11 crew, landed safely in Turkiye and will be thoroughly checked there. "The aircraft landed at the Erzurum airport . As per protocol, the relevant authorities were immediately alerted and we are fully cooperating with the security agencies to complete the mandatory security checks," the airline spokesperson added. A photograph posted on X showed the Vistara aircraft parked in the background with a fire engine at a distance from it, while passengers can be seen walking along the tarmac away from the aircraft. A step ladder can be seen aligned on the other side of the aircraft.

"Vistara flight UK 27 operating from Mumbai to Frankfurt on Sept 6, 2024, has been diverted to Turkiye due to a security concern that was noted by our crew while onboard. The aircraft safely landed at Erzurum Airport.