Security scare on Emirates flight to India, all passengers safe

Authorities at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad, India, initiated complete security protocols on Friday after receiving a bomb threat email for Emirates flight EK526 travelling from Dubai (DXB) to Hyderabad (HYD).

According to the GMR PRO, the threat message reached the Hyderabad airport customer support at around 7.30am on December 5. The flight carrying passengers from Dubai continued its journey under heightened monitoring and landed safely in Hyderabad at around 8.30am.

Following the landing, security teams immediately swung into action. The aircraft was moved to an isolated bay, and all passengers were safely deboarded as per standard operating procedures. Further details are awaited as the investigation continues.

"On 5 December, the Indian authorities alerted us to a potential security threat on Emirates’ flight EK526 from Dubai to Hyderabad. Standard security procedures were implemented by the relevant local authorities with full co-operation from Emirates' ground teams in Hyderabad, and passengers disembarked normally following security checks,” Emirates told Gulf News in a statement.

“The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew remain the Emirates' highest priority,” the airline spokesperson added.

The latest scare comes amid a worrying pattern of bomb-related alerts involving flights headed to Hyderabad. On Thursday, an IndiGo flight 6E 058 travelling from Medina to Hyderabad was diverted for an emergency landing at Ahmedabad after a similar threat. The flight was carrying 180 passengers and six crew members. Earlier this week, a Kuwait-Hyderabad IndiGo flight was forced to make an emergency landing in Mumbai following a bomb threat.

Meanwhile, on November 22, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport received a fake email claiming an RDX device was placed near the arrival area. Upon further investigation, police confirmed the threat was a hoax. Furthermore, on November 1, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport received another bomb threat email, which prompted authorities to divert an IndiGo flight to a nearby airport.