Bomb threat: Air India's Mumbai-New York Air flight makes emergency landing after note found in toilet

An Air India flight bound for New York made an emergency return to Mumbai on March 10 after a bomb threat note was discovered mid-air inside the aircraft's toilet, officials said. The Boeing 777-300 ER, carrying 322 people, including 19 crew members, landed safely at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and is now undergoing security checks.

A passenger found a note reading, “There is a bomb in the flight,” in the lavatory and immediately alerted the crew, a police official told PTI. Following standard security protocols, the pilots decided to turn back, prioritizing the safety of those onboard.

Authorities have launched an investigation and are in the process of registering an FIR against an unidentified person. "Nothing suspicious has been found (so far) and we are conducting the investigation," the official added.

In a statement, Air India confirmed the security threat and said, "After following the necessary protocols, the flight air-returned to Mumbai, in the interest of the safety and security of all on board." The aircraft landed back in Mumbai at 10:25 am.

The airline assured full cooperation with security agencies and has rescheduled the flight to operate at 5 am on March 11. Passengers have been provided with hotel accommodations, meals, and other assistance. "Our colleagues on the ground are making sure to minimize the inconvenience caused to our passengers by this disruption. As always, Air India accords the highest priority to the safety of passengers and crew," the airline added.