Muscat/Mumbai, July 9 (IANS) A Jet Airways Mumbai-Dubai flight was on Thursday afternoon diverted to Muscat following a bomb threat tracked on a Twitter account, officials in Mumbai said.
Flight 9W 536, which departed from Mumbai at 12.46 p.m. for Dubai, had 54 passengers and seven crew members onboard, a Jet Airways spokesperson said.
After the bomb threat was tracked on a Twitter account by a man named Surender Pratap, Jet Airways immediately swung into action and diverted the flight to the nearest airport, Muscat in Oman, where it landed safely around 2.50 p.m.
Omani security agencies carried out a search of the aircraft, baggage and cargo, according to information received here.
The airline and airport authorities are also tracking down the Twitter account from where the threat with the specific flight number and take-off time were mentioned, the officials said.
“All guests and crew disembarked without any incident and were taken to the airport terminal. The Omani security agencies are carrying out a search of the aircraft, baggage and cargo at present,” the airline said in a statement.
“Guests are being looked after and have been provided refreshments.”
Riyaz Kuttery, general manager of Jet Airways, Oman was quoted by local media: “It (aircraft) was taken to an isolated bay and all the passengers were evacuated. The flight is right now grounded at Muscat International Airport and we are waiting for clearances from the concerned authorities to fly again.”
The airport was closed for about 10 minutes following the bomb scare.