India
oi-Saumya Joshi
On
Monday
evening,
an
alarming
mid-air
hijack
alert
was
sent
by
Air
India’s
Mumbai-bound
flight
AI
2957
shortly
after
its
takeoff
from
New
Delhi’s
Indira
Gandhi
International
Airport.
The
alert
triggered
a
full-scale
security
response,
despite
later
being
identified
as
a
false
alarm,
as
reported
by
Hindustan
Times.
False
Hijack
Alert
Triggers
Full
Security
Protocol
On
Air
India
Emergency
Protocol
Activated
At
8:40
pm,
the
flight,
which
was
carrying
126
passengers,
transmitted
a
“squawk
7500” code
to
Air
Traffic
Control
(ATC)
in
Delhi,
signaling
a
potential
hijack.
This
four-digit
transponder
code,
recognized
internationally
for
unlawful
interference,
prompted
immediate
action
from
airport
authorities.
Delhi’s
ATC
swiftly
implemented
a
security
protocol
that
included
notifying
Mumbai
airport,
the
Indian
Air
Force,
and
relevant
security
agencies.
The
aircraft
was
diverted
to
an
isolation
bay
upon
arrival
at
Mumbai
airport,
and
the
emergency
response
plan
was
executed,
as
reported
by
Hindustan
Times.
Airline’s
Swift
Response
Despite
the
pilot
confirming
to
ATC
that
the
situation
was
under
control,
the
security
response
continued
without
hesitation.
The
protocol
mandates
that
authorities
prepare
for
the
worst
in
such
situations,
as
the
pilot’s
communication
could
potentially
be
under
duress.
A
full
emergency
was
declared
at
Mumbai
Airport,
with
the
deployment
of
local
police
and
the
National
Security
Guard
(NSG)
on
standby.
Investigation
Into
the
False
Alarm
Although
the
pilot
clarified
the
flight
was
operating
normally,
the
aircraft’s
initial
emergency
signal
raised
concerns.
Aviation
experts
speculated
the
issue
might
stem
from
a
technical
error
or
misinterpretation
of
the
signal
by
ATC.
The
Directorate
General
of
Civil
Aviation
(DGCA),
alongside
other
agencies
like
CISF
and
BCAS,
has
begun
an
investigation
to
determine
the
root
cause
of
the
alarm.
Passenger
Safety
Maintained
Upon
landing
at
Mumbai
at
9:47
pm,
the
aircraft
was
secured
in
the
isolation
bay,
and
passengers
were
only
allowed
to
deboard
after
a
thorough
inspection.
Officials
confirmed
there
were
no
injuries
or
indications
of
any
hijack-related
activity.
The
flight,
which
had
initially
sparked
widespread
concern,
was
confirmed
to
have
been
a
regular
operation.
Squawk
Code
Protocol
and
Aviation
Safety
The
squawk
7500
code
is
part
of
a
set
of
emergency
signals
used
by
aircraft
to
communicate
with
air
traffic
control.
While
codes
7600
and
7700
indicate
radio
communication
failure
and
general
aircraft
emergencies
respectively,
7500
specifically
alerts
authorities
to
a
hijack
situation.
The
fact
that
the
aircraft’s
transponder
signaled
this
code
led
to
heightened
concerns
despite
the
later
clarification,
as
reported
by
Hindustan
Times.
As
investigations
into
the
incident
continue,
officials
emphasize
the
importance
of
maintaining
stringent
security
protocols
and
prompt
response
in
situations
that
may
appear
as
hijack
threats,
no
matter
the
outcome.
Conclusion
This
incident
highlights
the
meticulous
security
measures
in
place
for
the
safety
of
passengers,
even
when
initial
signs
of
danger
turn
out
to
be
false
alarms,
as
per
media
reports.
With
ongoing
investigations
into
the
source
of
the
false
hijack
alert,
authorities
are
determined
to
ensure
that
such
events
remain
isolated,
safeguarding
the
trust
and
safety
of
passengers
in
air
travel.
