An IndiGo passenger flight operating from Lucknow to Dammam in Saudi Arabia was forced to make an emergency landing at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad on Thursday evening after a handwritten bomb threat was discovered inside the cabin. Flight 6E97 touched down safely in Ahmedabad at approximately 5:45 p.m., where security personnel immediately directed the aircraft to an isolated bay for complete evacuation and inspection.
All passengers and crew members were disembarked safely without injury, according to airport officials and local authorities. The diversion was initiated after a cabin crew member noticed a piece of tissue paper bearing the word "BOMB" written on it during the flight, triggering national aviation security protocols for airborne threats.
Discovery of Suspicious Note Triggers Aviation Security Protocols
The emergency landing was executed after flight crew notified Air Traffic Control at Ahmedabad about the note found on board. Upon landing, emergency service vehicles, fire tenders, and law enforcement units met the aircraft on the tarmac to oversee the immediate deboarding of everyone on board.
"A crew member found 'bomb' written on a piece of paper on the flight, after which it made an emergency landing at Ahmedabad Airport. The flight was carrying 107 passengers and six crew members. They were made to disembark," stated Airport police inspector A D Chavda. Initial operational accounts indicated up to 133 people were present on the aircraft when combining all passengers and operational crew members.
Following the disembarkation, ground teams moved the aircraft to a remote parking stand isolated from main terminal operations to allow specialized security units to initiate a structured search of the airframe, passenger seats, and cargo holds.
Multi-Agency Bomb Disposal Sweeps and Forensic Investigation
An extensive search operation was launched immediately after the plane was secured. The security effort involved personnel from the Central Industrial Security Force, the local police department, airport security teams, and specialized bomb disposal squads equipped with detection apparatus and sniffer dogs.
Following exhaustive physical checks of the cabin, lavatories, and luggage compartments, authorities confirmed that no explosive devices, suspicious objects, or dangerous materials were found on the aircraft. Ground officials maintained high security procedures throughout the inspection process.
To identify the individual responsible for writing the message, investigating officers instituted forensic handwriting checks. Passengers were instructed to write text samples on paper sheets provided by security personnel. Forensic teams plan to compare these handwriting samples directly against the handwriting present on the seized tissue paper.
Replacement Flight Logistics and Passenger Handling
Following the security clearance of the passengers and the isolation of the primary aircraft, IndiGo authorities initiated ground arrangements to minimize transit disruption for the stranded travellers. Security protocols required all passengers and their hand baggage to undergo re-screening at the terminal before being permitted into departure holding areas.
A replacement aircraft was positioned at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport to resume the flight to Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Airline operational schedules indicated that the recovery flight was organized to depart from Ahmedabad at approximately 8:30 p.m. local time on Thursday night.
Air carriers operating international sectors maintain strict protocols regarding aircraft clearance after security threats, requiring full passenger manifest reconciliation and cargo rescreening before authorization for departure is granted by civil aviation authorities.
Pattern of Hoax Threat Incidents at Ahmedabad Airport
Thursday's diversion marks the second emergency landing caused by a handwritten bomb threat at Ahmedabad's airport within a ten-day span. Security agencies noted striking similarities to a previous security incident that occurred on the same international corridor.
On August 31, 2026, an Air India Express flight traveling from Dammam to New Delhi carrying 32 passengers made an emergency landing at the same Ahmedabad facility under identical circumstances. In that incident, cabin crew discovered a tissue paper bearing a bomb threat note inside the lavatory, which thorough searches later confirmed to be a hoax.
Civil aviation authorities and airport security units have noted an increase in written threat messages found in aircraft lavatories and passenger areas across domestic and international routes, prompting heightened scrutiny of cabin safety checks before flight departures.
Pending Procedural Steps and Ongoing Police Probe
Local police officials and airport security agencies have registered an official enquiry into the incident. The seized tissue paper note remains in police custody for detailed technical analysis, while handwriting samples gathered from passengers are being transferred to forensic experts for formal examination.
Law enforcement agencies stated that questioning of passengers and crew will continue as part of the formal investigation to establish the timeline of when the note was placed in the cabin. No arrests have been made, and further procedural actions remain contingent on the outcome of the forensic handwriting evaluation.
