An apparent bomb threat saw over 200 Air India passengers stranded in Canada's freezing remote north before the air force picked them up
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- An Air India flight to Chicago diverted due to what a Canadian minister said was a bomb threat.
- The Boeing 777 landed in Iqaluit, a remote town in Canada's Nunavut territory.
- The Canadian Air Force flew passengers to Chicago, landing 24 hours later than initially expected.
Hundreds of Air India passengers caught a flight with the Royal Canadian Air Force after the Boeing 777 they were on was diverted due to an apparent bomb threat.
Tuesday's Flight AI127 from Delhi to Chicago had just flown over Greenland when it changed course toward Iqaluit, per Flightradar24.
Iqaluit is a remote town in Canada's far north and the capital of the Nunavut territory. On Tuesday, temperatures peaked at 37 degrees Fahrenheit and were below zero at times.
In a statement posted on social media, Air India said the flight was "the subject of a security threat posted online."
According to an X post from Canada's Minister of Emergency Preparedness, Harjit Sajjan, the flight was subject to a "bomb threat." Sajjan added that 211 passengers were on the flight.
One passenger who was scheduled to take a different flight out of Iqaluit on Tuesday shared pictures of the plane and what appeared to be passengers waiting in the airport, saying that a local musician had been brought in to entertain people while they waited.
The bad news is there was a bomb threat on an Air India flight and an emergency landing. So our plane is delayed. The good news is everyone is OK, they brought in a wonderful Inuit accordion player to help everyone’s spirits, and we are an extra few hours in wonderful Iqaluit. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/zyYdqcA33j
— Robin Debreuil (@debreuil) October 15, 2024
Air India, the Indian flag carrier, noted that it and other Indian airlines have been subject to a number of threats recently that have all turned out to be hoaxes.
"As a responsible airline operator all threats are taken seriously," Air India said. "The inconvenience to customers is sincerely regretted."
It added that it will consider legal action against those responsible for the threat.
Air India said that over 18 hours after landing in Iqaluit, a Canadian Air Force plane took off to take passengers to Chicago. It was scheduled to land there 24 hours after the initial flight's scheduled arrival time.
"We thank the Canadian authorities and authorities at Iqaluit airport for their support and assistance extended to the passengers and Air India during this unexpected disruption," the airline said.
Back in May, an Air France Boeing 787 also had to divert to Iqaluit after a burning smell was detected in the cabin.
In that instance, a different flight was canceled 11 hours after the landing in Nunavut so a plane could be rerouted to take the passengers onward.