10.9°C Vancouver 10.9°C VancouverOct 15, 2024 4:07 PM - Connect Newsroom - Debby Rai with files from The Canadian Press
An Air India flight traveling from New Delhi to Chicago made an emergency landing in Nunavut early Tuesday morning after a security threat was posted online, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
Authorities say Flight AI127 landed safely at Iqaluit International Airport at 5:21 a.m., and all 211 passengers and crew members were safely relocated to the terminal for further screening.
In a statement, Air India said the emergency diversion was a precautionary measure following the online threat. The airline added that it and other international carriers have recently been the target of multiple security hoaxes, though none have been verified as credible.
RCMP officers, along with airport security and Transport Canada officials, conducted thorough inspections of the aircraft and passengers. The flight is expected to continue to its original destination once cleared.
Indian media reported that just a day earlier, another Air India flight from Mumbai to New York was rerouted to Delhi following a similar bomb threat posted online — a sign of increased concern over coordinated digital hoaxes targeting Indian carriers.
The Iqaluit landing marks a rare instance of an international aircraft diverting to Canada’s Arctic region, where remote airports such as Iqaluit are certified to handle emergency international landings.
