Air India Flight Cleared After Hijack Alert Triggers Emergency Landing in Jaipur

An Air India flight from Frankfurt to Delhi was cleared to resume its journey after security checks at Jaipur International Airport found nothing suspicious following a reported hijack alert, officials said on Wednesday.

The aircraft, carrying around 300 passengers, made an emergency landing in Jaipur at approximately 9.45 a.m. after Ahmedabad Air Traffic Control (ATC) reportedly received a hijack alert and relayed it to Jaipur ATC.

Security agencies diverted the flight to Jaipur as a precaution and moved it to an isolation bay. Passengers were deboarded while personnel, including a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) team, conducted a thorough inspection lasting around two and a half hours.

Officials told IANS that passengers had been asked to reboard the aircraft, which was preparing to depart for Delhi after receiving security clearance.

The cause of the alert remained unclear. Preliminary reports suggested a possible technical glitch or accidental activation of the alert system. However, sources said the pilot denied accidentally pressing the designated alert button during questioning.

Security agencies questioned the pilot as part of their investigation. Teams from multiple agencies, including the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), were present at the airport, while reports indicated that an NSG team in Delhi had been placed on standby.

The flight had departed Frankfurt at 9.45 p.m. on October 13 and was scheduled to arrive in Delhi at 10.40 a.m. on October 14.