A Singapore Airlines flight SQ423 from Mumbai to Singapore carrying 263 passengers and 18 crew members on board on Tuesday received a bomb threat, prompting Singapore Air Force to send two F-16s to escort the aircraft.
The flight landed safely at Singapore’s Changi International Airport on 26 Mar 2019 Tuesday around 8 am Singapore local time according to the airline.
“Singapore Airlines confirms there was a bomb threat concerning SQ423 operating from Mumbai to Singapore.
“There were 263 passengers on board. We are assisting the authorities with their investigations and regret that we are unable to provide further details,” a statement issued by the airline said.
The Republic of Singapore Air Force said two F16C/Ds escorted the Singapore Airlines flight SQ423.
The RSAF said in a Facebook post that two F-16C/Ds were scrambled to intercept the SIA flight.
“Our fighters escorted the airliner till it landed safely at Changi Airport,” it said.
All passengers, except for a woman and a child, disembarked safely and had to undergo screening.
The woman and the child were held back for questioning by the police, who are investigating the incident.
Preliminary checks showed that the airline received a call after the plane left Mumbai’s airport on Monday at about 11.35pm local time. The caller claimed that there was a bomb on the plane.
It arrived in Singapore 31 minutes behind schedule, the site added.
Changi Airport Group said airport operations were not affected.
