Moscow-Goa Azur Air flight takes off after no suspicious object found

Jamnagar: The Azur Air international flight from Moscow took off for its destination Goa from Jamnagar airport in Gujarat on Tuesday afternoon, nearly 15 hours after it made an emergency landing here following a bomb threat which later turned out to be a hoax.

Officials said nothing suspicious was found on the flight after it was thoroughly checked by teams of the National Security Guard (NSG) and the bomb disposal squad of local police.

It took off at around 1.20 pm from the Jamnagar airport, sources said.

The Moscow-Goa flight with 236 passengers and eight crew members was diverted to the airport here on Monday night following a bomb threat.

The passengers and crew members were evacuated safely after the flight made an emergency landing at 9.49 pm on Monday, officials said.

They spent the night at the airport lounge, while security personnel checked the plane and luggage of the passengers in view of the bomb threat.

The flight with the passengers and crew members took off on Tuesday afternoon.

The NSG and local police teams completed checking the aircraft on Tuesday morning and found no suspicious object, Jamnagar Superintendent of Police Premsukh Delu told PTI.

The NSG teams from Ahmedabad and Delhi had joined local police in carrying out the search operation, he said.

The bomb disposal squad of local police began checking the flight on Monday night. Later, the first NSG team arrived from Ahmedabad at around midnight. Another NSG team arrived from Delhi at around 3 am, Delu said.

Earlier, Jamnagar Collector Sourabh Pardhi told PTI, “The Jamnagar Air Force base informed us about the bomb threat. Perhaps, the threat was received by the Goa ATC (Air Traffic Control). The search has been completed and nothing suspicious was found.” PTI KA PD GK GK