Kolkata-Mumbai Air Asia flight turns back after passenger's bomb threat

An AirAsia flight operating from Kolkata to Mumbai turned back for an emergency landing at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport on Saturday after a passenger made a bomb threat mid-air. 

The plane made a turn back for precautionary landing after a passenger reported carrying explosives and warned of dire consequences, the airline said on Sunday. 

AirAsia flight I5316 was carrying 114 passengers. The passenger was detained for questioning upon landing, Air Asia said. 

"AirAsia flight operating from Kolkata to Mumbai made mid-air turn back for precautionary landing after a passenger reported carrying explosives and warned of dire consequences. AirAsia India operations coordinated with Kolkata ATC to initiate immediate landing in Kolkata," the airline said in a statement. 

The incident happened around 10 pm on Saturday, soon after the AirAsia flight took off from Kolkata. Immediately after the take-off, a woman passenger told the crew she was carrying bombs and threatened to detonate them. The Air Traffic Controller (ATC) in Kolkata was informed and the flight returned to the airport. 

Reports said an emergency was declared by the Kolkata ATC at 11 pm and the flight was taken to the isolation bay upon landing.

"Post landing, the aircraft was secured with the assistance of airport security staff and all the protocols were followed by the concerned agencies and the individual in question was detained," AirAsia said. 

Security personnel conducted thorough sanitation of the plane after landing and passengers were evacuated. However, no explosive material was found on the plane. 

The woman was arrested by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel and was taken to the Barrackpore court. Reports suggested that she might be mentally unstable, the sleuths are probing why the passenger made such a claim.