Mid-air bomb scare grounds Jet Airways in Muscat

Muscat: A Jet Airways flight on Thursday made emergency landing at Muscat International Airport following a mid-air bomb scare.

A Dubai-bound Jet Airways (9W-536) from Mumbai with 54 passengers on board made an emergency landing at Muscat Airport after the pilot reportedly told the Air Traffic Controllers of the bomb threat.

The airport was put on alert after Code 5, indicating a bomb scare, was initiated.

“All the passengers were evacuated and the authorities were working on to ensure complete safety. Once the authorities give an all clear signal, the passengers will be put on the flight to Dubai,” a Jet Airways spokesperson told an international daily.

The official added, “Boeing 727-800 plane landed at the Muscat International Airport at 1.22 pm until 3.30 pm. The flight departed Mumbai at its schedule time of 12.25 (India time) and was to land in Dubai at 1.55 pm (Dubai time).”

“It was taken to an isolated bay and all the passengers were evacuated. The flight is right now grounded at Muscat International Airport and we are waiting for clearances from the concerned authorities to fly again,” Riyaz Kuttery, General Manager, Jet Airways, Oman, said.

The airport was closed for 5 to 10 minutes following the bomb scare.  

This is the second major bomb scare in a week after a Turkish Airlines flight made an emergency landing at Indira Gandhi International Airport following a bomb threat in the national capital on Tuesday.