JOIN USThe Civil Aviation Ministry and Air India on Saturday described as “false” reports of a hijack scare on board a recent London-Delhi flight.
The clarification from the ministry and the national carrier came following reports that the plane, which took off from London on March 17, faced a hijack attempt.
Air India issued a statement saying all such claims were “totally false”, and that there was no Pakistani national, as mentioned in these reports.
“A section of the press has reported of an incident where a passenger had reported sick on board an international flight and more than one passenger, claiming to be doctors, came forward to help, and wanted to see the pilot. According to the reports, these doctors and the sick passengers were Pakistani nationals and were trying to gain access to the cockpit,” said the statement.
“Air India would like to clarify that the reports are totally false. During the last week, one of the passenger required medical assistance on board a London-Delhi flight, and he was assisted by a woman passenger who came forward to help him. The passenger who required medical assistance was a British passport-holder, and the nurse who assisted him was of Indian origin. There were no Pakistani national, as mentioned in these reports,” it added.
“There is no truth in such reports,” Civil Aviation Secretary V Somasundaram was also quoted by PTI as saying.
Officials said nothing unusual was reported on the flight.