Third Bomb Threat in 48 Hours at Hyderabad Airport, Emirates Flight Targeted

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport plunged into high alert for the third time in under 48 hours on Friday morning when an anonymous bomb-threat email landed at 7:30 AM, explicitly naming Emirates flight EK526 from Dubai as the target. The Boeing 777-300ER, carrying 348 passengers and crew, had already taken off from Dubai International at 3:51 AM and was cruising over the Arabian Sea when the threat was received, leaving authorities with no option but to prepare for the worst upon landing.

The aircraft touched down safely at 8:30 AM but was immediately directed to a remote isolation bay far from the terminal. Bomb disposal squads, CISF anti-sabotage teams, dog squads, and fire tenders rushed to the spot, while passengers remained confined inside for over two hours. Every piece of checked-in baggage, cabin luggage, and cargo hold was offloaded and subjected to manual and explosive-trace detection screening. Only after exhaustive checks were completed were passengers allowed to disembark and claim their belongings under heavy security escort.

This incident follows two identical threats received on Thursday: one against IndiGo’s Madinah–Hyderabad flight 6E 84, which was diverted to Ahmedabad as a precautionary measure, and another against IndiGo’s Sharjah–Hyderabad flight 6E 1404, which landed normally and was cleared after similar drills. No explosive has been found in any of the three cases, pointing overwhelmingly towards a coordinated hoax campaign designed to disrupt aviation operations and create public panic.

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Central agencies, including the Intelligence Bureau and National Investigation Agency, have now taken over the probe alongside Telangana Police Cyber Crime wing. Preliminary analysis suggests the emails originated from proxy servers and encrypted platforms, indicating a possible lone-wolf actor or mischief group with basic knowledge of aviation vulnerabilities. Sources say the pattern mirrors last month’s nationwide hoax spree that targeted over 100 domestic and international flights.

With Hyderabad suddenly emerging as the new epicentre of these serial threats, airport authorities have further fortified security perimeters, increased random passenger frisking, and placed all incoming international flights under heightened surveillance until the perpetrator is identified and neutralised. Airlines operating to RGIA have been instructed to factor in possible delays as mandatory anti-sabotage checks become the new normal.

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