Nothing suspicious found on Moscow-Goa flight after bomb threat: Jamnagar Airport

New Delhi, Jan 10: Nothing suspicious onboard the Moscow-Goa chartered flight, which was diverted to Gujarat's Jamnagar after Goa ATC followed an alleged bomb threat, the National Security Guard (NSG) said on Tuesday.

The security forces carried out an intensive search of the passengers onboard the Moscow-Goa chartered flight following the threat. The flight will depart from Jamnagar to Goa between 10.30 am and 11 am, according to a report in ANI.

A total of 236 passengers and eight crew members were on the flight. They said all passengers were safely evacuated and escorted to the lounge inside the terminal building.

"NSG has not found anything suspicious. The flight is expected to leave from Jamnagar to Goa, sometime between 10.30 am and 11 am. All the cabin baggage has been thoroughly checked," said Jamnagar Airport Director. The Goa-bound international flight was diverted to Jamnagar, Gujarat on Monday evening after the crew received clearance for an emergency landing at Jamnagar airport in the wake of an alleged bomb threat, informed airport authorities. Earlier, the security agencies cordoned off the airport for 9 hours.

An official of the Russian embassy in New Delhi said the embassy was alerted by the Indian authorities about the alleged bomb scare on the Azur Air flight en route from Moscow to Goa.

"The aircraft has made an emergency landing at the Jamnagar Indian Air Force base. Everyone on board is safe. The authorities are conducting a thorough inspection of the aircraft," the official added. Meanwhile, a Goa Police officer said the flight that took off from Moscow and was supposed to land at the Dabolim airport in the coastal state was diverted to Jamnagar due to a bomb scare.

The Goa Police has beefed up security in and around the Dabolim airport as a precautionary measure, he added. "The international flight from Moscow, which was supposed to land at the Dabolim airport, was diverted to Jamnagar due to a bomb scare," Deputy Superintendent of Police (Vasco) Salim Sheikh told reporters at Panaji. All the emergency services are kept on standby at the airport, while senior police officers have held a meeting with the airport officials.

With inputs from agencies