'Bomb threat' on board Iranian plane over Indian airspace triggers alert, IAF jets scrambled from Punjab, Jodhpur

ANI

New Delhi, October 3

Indian Air Force fighter jets were scrambled to intercept a foreign aircraft with its origin in Iran that was moving towards the New Delhi airspace.

According to sources, inputs were received by security agencies in Delhi about the possibility of a bomb on board, which triggered an alert and permission to the plane to land in Delhi was denied.

According to an ANI tweet, the plane was on its way from Tehran, Iran, to Guangzhou in China. Mahan Air contacted the Delhi airport Air Traffic Control after the airline received a bomb threat for an immediate landing in Delhi. The Delhi ATC suggested the aircraft to go to Jaipur but the aircraft pilot refused and left the Indian airspace, according to sources.

However, the Indian Air force has confirmed that the China-bound Mahan Air flight was now out of the Indian airspace.

The aircraft had entered the Indian airspace when the alert from the ATC was shared with the plane.

Indian Air Force Su-30MKI fighter jets from Punjab and Jodhpur airbases were scrambled to intercept the plane, sources told .