Mumbai-Delhi Air India Flight Signals Hijack Alert; False Alarm Confirmed After Landing

Mumbai, 29th January 2025: On Monday at 8:40 pm, Air India’s flight AI 2957, bound for Mumbai from New Delhi, triggered an emergency signal to Delhi’s Air Traffic Control (ATC), suggesting a hijacking in progress.

In response, ATC immediately activated a protocol that involved alerting the destination airport, security forces, and the Indian Air Force. A crisis committee, including representatives from the Delhi police, CISF (which manages airport security), Airports Authority of India (AAI), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), and the Air Force, was formed.

Despite the pilot later confirming the false alarm, the protocol continued. A former ATC official, preferring anonymity, pointed out that the authorities couldn’t rule out the possibility of the pilot being under duress. “What if he’s being forced to report a calm situation under threat?” the official remarked.

The flight, carrying 126 passengers, landed in Mumbai at 9:47 pm, where preparations had already been made. A Mumbai airport official explained, “As per the protocol, an aerodrome committee was formed, and an emergency was declared around 9:30 pm. Local police, NSG, and other stakeholders were deployed.”

The aircraft was directed to an isolation bay, with passengers disembarking only after an hour, once it was confirmed that everything was secure.

The incident began when the flight’s transponder sent a ‘squawk 7500’ code to Delhi ATC immediately after takeoff, lasting for three minutes, according to a Delhi airport official. Squawk codes are four-digit identifiers for aircraft, with specific codes indicating various emergencies. While codes 7600 and 7700 refer to communication failure and general emergencies, 7500 specifically signals unlawful interference, such as hijacking.

Aviation ministry officials revealed that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), BCAS, and CISF have launched an investigation into the incident. “The investigation will determine whether it was caused by pilot error or a misinterpretation by the ATC,” a ministry official said on condition of anonymity.

Attempts to reach DGCA for comment were unsuccessful, and an Air India spokesperson was unavailable. However, a source familiar with the matter stated, “There’s no indication of crew involvement. It could be a technical error, and only after the DGCA investigation will we know for sure.”

A second official mentioned, “The pilot learned about the false alarm after takeoff and confirmed to local ATC that everything was normal.”

Despite this, the official stressed that once such an indication is made, the authorities must follow protocol and prepare for the worst.

After landing, the Mumbai airport official stated that the pilot repeatedly confirmed the flight had not been hijacked, insisting it was a routine journey.