Air India Flight Cleared After Hijack Alert, Security Checks Find Nothing Suspicious

An Air India flight travelling from Frankfurt to Delhi has been cleared to resume its journey after security agencies found nothing suspicious during an inspection at Jaipur International Airport, where the aircraft made an emergency landing following a reported hijack alert.

Airport officials said passengers were asked to reboard flight AI-2030 as preparations began for its departure to Delhi.

The aircraft was diverted to Jaipur on Wednesday morning after Ahmedabad Air Traffic Control (ATC) reportedly received a hijack alert, which was subsequently relayed to Jaipur ATC. The flight landed at approximately 9.45 a.m., following which security agencies initiated precautionary checks and passengers were deboarded.

Preliminary reports indicated that around 300 passengers were on board. Security personnel, including a team from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), moved the aircraft to an isolation bay and carried out a thorough inspection.

The security operation reportedly lasted around two and a half hours. Officials said no suspicious objects were discovered during the checks.

Investigators also questioned the pilot to establish how the alert had been triggered. Initial accounts suggested the possibility of an accidental activation of the designated alert button or a technical malfunction in the aircraft's systems.

However, sources indicated that the pilot denied accidentally pressing the alert button during questioning. Authorities had not issued an official statement confirming the cause of the alert at the time of reporting.

Following the inspection, security agencies cleared the aircraft to continue to its destination. The precise circumstances behind the reported alert remain under investigation.

According to preliminary flight information, the aircraft departed Frankfurt at 9.45 p.m. on October 13 and was scheduled to reach Delhi at 10.40 a.m. on October 14. The reported alert prompted its diversion to Jaipur.

Security arrangements were strengthened at Jaipur airport following the incident, with personnel from multiple agencies, including the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), present at the facility.

Reports also suggested that a National Security Guard (NSG) team in Delhi had been placed on standby, although its deployment to Jaipur was not officially confirmed.

Under international aviation procedures, transponder code 7500 is used to indicate unlawful interference, including a hijacking. When air traffic control receives such a signal, it can trigger an immediate security response involving the flight crew, ATC and relevant agencies.

Even when an alert is suspected to have resulted from a technical fault or accidental activation, precautionary security protocols may remain in place until authorities complete their assessment.

With the aircraft cleared following the inspection, attention has now turned to determining the exact cause of the alert.