False Hijack Alert Triggers Emergency Response on Air India Flight AI 2957

A technical issue or miscommunication led to the activation of a hijack protocol for a Delhi-to-Mumbai flight, prompting a full security response before being confirmed as a false alarm.

• Air India flight AI 2957 sent a 'squawk 7500' hijack alert to Delhi ATC shortly after takeoff on January 27, leading to immediate activation of security protocols.
• The flight, carrying 126 passengers, landed safely in Mumbai at 9:47 PM and was directed to an isolation bay for thorough security checks.
• Passengers were allowed to deboard only after an hour, once authorities verified that there was no security threat onboard.
• The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), along with BCAS and CISF, has launched an investigation to determine whether the false alert was caused by technical error or human miscommunication.
• Aviation experts emphasized the importance of following protocol in such cases, as ATC cannot assume the pilot's report of a false alarm is not under duress.

3 Articles

mint Free Press Journal Hindustan Times