New Delhi: An Air India flight from Frankfurt to Delhi made an emergency landing in Jaipur on Wednesday after reportedly transmitting Squawk 7500, the international code used to indicate a hijacking, as per multiple reports.
Reports claim that the alert was received by Ahmedabad Air Traffic Control (ATC), following which the aircraft landed safely in Jaipur. Further details about the circumstances that triggered the alert were not immediately available.
Squawk 7500 is an internationally recognised aviation transponder code that pilots use to discreetly alert air traffic control to a hijacking or unlawful interference with an aircraft. The incident also caused concern among passengers on board, according to them.
Earlier in October, airline firms continued to suspend operations to Saudi Arabia amid escalating security concerns.
Air India Express on Tuesday suspended flights to and from Dammam, Jeddah and Riyadh until October 17, citing the evolving security situation in the region.
The airline said affected passengers are being offered complimentary rescheduling options or a full refund in case of cancellations. The carrier added that it is closely monitoring developments before taking any further decisions on operations.
“In view of the evolving situation in the region, we have cancelled flights to and from Dammam, Jeddah and Riyadh until 17 October. Affected guests are being offered complimentary rescheduling or a full refund on cancellation. We continue to monitor the situation closely,” an Air India Express spokesperson said.
The suspension comes amid escalating security concerns in Saudi Arabia following drone and missile strikes that targeted airport infrastructure in the region.
Air India had extended the suspension of its flights to and from Riyadh until October 15 after repeated attacks on Saudi Arabia’s capital airport by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels.
The disruption has also prompted other Indian carriers, including IndiGo and Akasa Air, to cancel services to affected destinations in Saudi Arabia. IndiGo has extended the cancellation of its flights to Riyadh and Dammam until October 15.
Saudi authorities have kept Riyadh airport shut for the time being following the strikes and subsequent security threats. Airlines said they are continuing to revise schedules amid heightened tensions linked to the broader conflict involving Iran and the United States.
(IANS)
