Russian embassy's first statement as Moscow-Goa plane lands in Jamnagar after bomb threat

The Russian embassy in India on Tuesday, January 10 issued a statement confirming that it was alerted by the Indian authorities about the alleged bomb scare on the Azur Air flight en route from Moscow to Goa. "The aircraft made an emergency landing at Jamnagar Indian Air Force Base. Everyone on board is safe. The authorities are conducting a thorough inspection of the aircraft," the embassy said in a statement issued on January 9. Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of Gujarat joined the scene and was in the process of sanitising the Azur Air plane whih was flying with 244 people on board. All passengers were urgently evacuated and directed into airport lounge inside the terminal building. 

Jamnagar Collector Saurabh Pargi told Republic Media Network that all passengers "have been deboarded and probe agencies are now searching the aircraft. Goa ATS received the bomb threat messages."

"We are not ruling out any possibilities. The airport authority of India is screening the nationality of the passengers who were onboard the Moscow-Goa flight," meanwhile Ashok Yadav, Range IG, Rajkot Rang told Republic in televised remark.

The plane was ordered an emergency landing in the Indian state of Gujarat, where inspection and security checks were being conducted to find the explosives onboard, an Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation source told Sputnik. "The plane landed in the state of Gujarat. An inspection is underway," the source noted. The Moscow-Goa chartered flight was urgently diverted to Gujarat’s Jamnagar, after the Goa ATC received a bomb threat. “Aircraft is under isolation bay, further investigation is underway,” the Indian airport officials told ANI.

 Iranian Mahan Airlines intercepted after 'fake bomb threat'

Last year, in October, the IAF had to intercept and escort an Iranian Mahan Airlines through Indian airspace it receving a bomb threat from Lahore air traffic control (ATC). The Mahan Air flight W581 hovered in the Indian skies for about 40 minutes and later was allowed to fly to its destination en route to Guangzhou in China after the Iranian authorities confirmed to the Indian officials to “disregard the bomb scare” calling it “fake.” 

The Iranian aircraft that landed at Guangzhou was  shadowed by two Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jets. It was detected and monitored closely on Indian radar surveillance by the IAF until it left the Indian air space. The Sukhoi-30MKI fighter was each scrambled from the Jodhpur and Halwara (Punjab) airbases and the aircrafts “followed the plane “at a safe distance” until it left Indian airspace. An Indian Air Force officer later reportedly stated that the plane was given an option to land at Jaipur and then Chandigarh but it refused the given options. IAF “took all actions” in accordance with the laid down procedures and coordinated with the civil aviation ministry and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security.