Bomb threat to Air India flight to US was a hoax

The bomb threat on an Air India passenger aircraft flying to the United States on Thursday was a hoax, an official at the state-run airline told Reuters, adding that the plane is back in the air.

A hoax call was received at Mumbai airport, the official said, adding that there is no security threat.

Air India said earlier that flight AI 191 from Mumbai to Newark had made a precautionary landing at London Stansted Airport “due to bomb threat.”

Earlier reports said Britain scrambled Typhoon fighters at supersonic speed to intercept the Boeing 777-337 and safely escorted it to Stansted.

The airport said its runway has reopened and the Air India flight was at an isolated stand with police in attendance.

“An Air India Boeing 777 diverted into London Stansted Airport at approximately 1015 and landed safely with Essex Police in attendance. It is parked on an isolated stand away from the normal airport operations,” the airport said.

“Our runway has now re-opened and is fully operational following a precautionary landing of Air India flight,” it said.