An anonymous account, @adamlanza1111, has been identified as the source of nearly 70% of bomb threats made against Indian airlines this week, posting threats related to 46 domestic and international flights over just two days. This account has since been suspended.
Reports indicate that the account issued 12 threats on Friday night and 34 on Saturday, extending its reach to international carriers such as American Airlines, JetBlue, and Air New Zealand.
The affected Indian airlines include Air India, Vistara, IndiGo, Akasa Air, Alliance Air, SpiceJet, and Star Air, with Star Air facing threats for four of its flights and the others receiving similar warnings for five flights each.
The messages sent from the account were alarming, stating: “There are bombs onboard five of your planes… No one will make it out alive. Hurry up and evacuate the plane.” Some of the flights were already in the air when the threats were issued, while others had recently completed their journeys.
In response to the situation, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) convened a meeting with airline representatives on Saturday evening. Led by BCAS chief Zulfiquar Hasan, the meeting focused on the challenges posed by these threats, with Hasan assuring that safety protocols are “robust” and encouraging passengers to fly “without fear.”