Daijiworld Media Network - Hyderabad

Hyderabad, Nov 23: A Gulf Air flight en route from Bahrain to Hyderabad was diverted to Mumbai early Sunday after authorities at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) received an email warning of a bomb on board.

Flight GF274, carrying 154 passengers, departed Bahrain at 10:20 p.m. on Saturday and was expected to land in Hyderabad at 4:55 a.m. However, around 3 a.m., RGIA’s customer support email inbox received a bomb threat, prompting immediate activation of security procedures. Based on the alert, Air Traffic Control advised the flight to divert to the nearest suitable airport — Mumbai.

The aircraft landed safely in Mumbai, where security agencies conducted thorough checks and followed all approved safety protocols. After receiving clearance, the flight departed again and finally landed in Hyderabad at 11:31 a.m.

Gulf Air confirmed the diversion in an official statement, citing adherence to standard safety and security requirements. The airline said the flight continued to Hyderabad only after the authorities completed all necessary inspections.

This incident follows a series of similar threats targeting Hyderabad’s airports in recent months. In June, a Lufthansa flight bound for Hyderabad was turned back to Frankfurt after RGIA received a bomb threat email. The same month, Begumpet Airport also received a threat that was later declared a hoax after a comprehensive security sweep.

Security agencies in Hyderabad have remained on heightened alert due to the recurring nature of these threats, even as investigations continue to trace their origins.