Air India Flight Diverted To Jaipur Over Hijack Scare Takes Off For Delhi, Pilot Error Suspected

Air India flight AI2030, which was diverted to Jaipur on Wednesday following a hijacking scare, has taken off for Delhi after security agencies completed their checks and cleared the aircraft and crew. All 306 passengers on board were reported safe, while preliminary indications suggest the alert may have been triggered accidentally.

The Boeing 787-9 aircraft was operating a flight from Frankfurt, Germany, to Delhi when it reportedly transmitted Squawk Code 7500, an internationally recognised aviation code indicating unlawful interference, including a possible hijacking. The signal was reportedly transmitted while the aircraft was in the Mumbai Flight Information Region (FIR), prompting air traffic control to divert the flight to Jaipur.

The aircraft landed at Jaipur International Airport at around 9.35 am, according to airport head Charan Singh, and was moved to an isolated bay for security inspections. Personnel from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), local police and bomb detection teams examined the aircraft and baggage. Security agencies also screened passengers before allowing them to reboard.

Singh told The Indian Express that preliminary indications suggested the pilot might have activated the alert by mistake. However, an investigation is underway to establish the circumstances behind the transmission. The Times of India reported that the pilots indicated conditions on board were normal, raising questions about why the hijack code appeared.

Air India said the flight was diverted following a perceived security concern. The airline confirmed that the relevant security agencies had completed the necessary checks and cleared the aircraft and crew. All passengers were disembarked, screened and subsequently allowed to reboard.

The airline also reportedly offered passengers complimentary rescheduling or a full refund in case of cancellation.

Earlier reports cited a possible bomb threat as the reason for the emergency landing. However, subsequent reports described the incident as a hijack alert that turned out to be false. Authorities have not publicly established the precise circumstances that triggered the security response.

The incident comes weeks after a Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv was involved in an alleged cockpit attack, in which the co-pilot reportedly assaulted the pilot and attempted to take control of the aircraft. The incidents have not been linked.

India also announced updates to airport safety regulations earlier this month, although no connection has been established between those changes and the Air India incident.