A bomb threat forced the evacuation of an IndiGo Airbus A320 scheduled to fly from Delhi to Varanasi on Tuesday. The low-cost Indian airline discovered a threatening note in the aircraft’s bathroom before take-off.
Aviation blog One Mile At A Time reported that the note, according to police, read "Bomb@5.30". In response, the aircraft was taxied to a remote part of the airport, and passengers were evacuated via emergency slides. After a thorough search, no credible threat was found.
Despite the scare, passengers eventually reboarded the same aircraft, facing a delay of over six hours.
In a statement, IndiGo said, "Flight 6E2211 operating from Delhi to Varanasi received a specific bomb threat at Delhi airport at 5:35 am. All necessary protocols were followed, and the aircraft was taken to a remote bay as per guidelines by airport security agencies."
"All passengers were safely evacuated via the emergency exits. The flight is currently undergoing inspection. Post completion of all security checks, the aircraft will be positioned back in the terminal area."
Videos on social media show passengers evacuating via the emergency slides. Notably, one flight attendant can be seen evacuating with a full-size carry-on, while a pilot carried a smaller bag. Passengers are typically instructed to leave their belongings on the plane during emergencies to avoid hindering the evacuation process.
In a related incident earlier this month, at least three passengers were reportedly injured after evacuating a smoke-filled plane in Venezuela. Footage from Caracas showed many passengers carrying bags on the emergency slides of a Laser Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-82 plane.
A 2018 survey by the UK's Royal Aeronautical Society revealed that more than a third of respondents would disregard warnings and take their possessions during a plane emergency. Of the 2,000 travellers surveyed, 35% said they would attempt to bring their belongings with them in an emergency.
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