A Shillong-bound IndiGo flight was grounded at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport on Saturday morning due to a bomb threat. The emergency started when a crew member found a handwritten note claiming that an explosive was on board. This incident involved Flight 6E 7304, which was set to depart for Shillong at 9:15 AM.
Emergency evacuation at Kolkata Airport
The threat was identified during the boarding process. The Airport Director stated that a cabin crew member discovered the note inside the aircraft’s lavatory. Following standard security measures, the aircraft was quickly moved to an isolation bay.
As a precaution, all passengers who had already boarded were deplaned and taken to a safe area.
Security Sweep: Specialized units, including the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) and CISF security personnel, carried out a thorough inspection of the cabin and cargo hold.
IndiGo issues official statement
In an official statement, IndiGo confirmed the security alert:
“A security threat was found on IndiGo flight 6E 7304 operating from Kolkata to Shillong on 14 February 2026. Following our procedures, we immediately informed the relevant authorities and are fully cooperating with them.”
The airline expressed regret for the inconvenience and emphasized that the safety of customers and crew is their top priority. After a complete search, authorities reported no suspicious items were found, and the aircraft was later cleared for operation.
Rising trend of hoax threats
This incident comes after a series of recent scares involving Indian carriers. Just two weeks ago, an IndiGo flight from Kuwait City to Delhi was diverted to Ahmedabad for a similar reason after a “hijack and bomb threat” was discovered on a tissue paper.
Also, in late January, another flight from Delhi to Pune was searched in an isolation bay after a handwritten note was found. While many of these incidents have been hoaxes, aviation authorities are staying alert since each threat requires a full emergency response and causes significant disruption.
Current flight status
After the security clearance, the flight to Shillong was allowed to proceed. Airport officials and local police have started an investigation to find the person responsible for leaving the note.
