Bomb hoax call grounds Air India flight in Goa

Panaji: Security forces were thrown into a tizzy on Sunday afternoon after a phone call - which later turned out to be a hoax - regarding the presence of a bomb on an Air India flight from Delhi to Moscow via Goa.

A thorough search was conducted of Air India Flight AI-156 carrying 89 passengers, including four foreigners, once the plane had landed in Goa.

"A person who identified himself as Videsh Singh called the Calangute police saying he was informed by one 'Rajan' that there was a bomb aboard AI-156, which was due to land in Goa at 2 p.m.," a senior police official said requesting anonymity.

After the plane landed at Goa's Dabolim International Airport, personnel from the Central Industrial Security Force and Goa Police's bomb disposal squad conducted a thorough check but found nothing dangerous.

The official said the police were so far unable to trace the person who had called up.