A Delta flight that landed at Mumbai was searched overnight for suspicious cargo after a warning from airline staff in Amsterdam, but security agencies cleared the aircraft early yesterday.
The plane from Amsterdam landed at Mumbai’s international airport at about 11pm on Thursday flanked by fire trucks and other emergency vehicles and was immediately taken to an isolated bay, where it was inspected by bomb squads and airport security, airport spokesman Manish Kalghatgi said.
The aircraft was shifted to a parking bay after emergency alerts were withdrawn at 1:50am, he said.
“Delta staff in Amsterdam informed the pilot there may be unaccounted-for cargo on board,” Kalghatgi said.
“They haven’t found anything objectionable,” he added.
All 244 passengers on board Delta flight 70 were evacuated safely, he said.
Flights at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport were operating normally, he said.
Delta Air Lines Inc posted a statement on Twitter that read: “We requested rescreening of some cargo on flt 70 in Mumbai. Paxs deplaned safely & we are working with authorities.”
In Amsterdam, spokespeople for Schiphol airport and KLM, which has a code-sharing agreement with Delta, declined comment.
Passengers were asked to remain at the airport until all luggage and cargo searches were completed, said Rohit Sharma, who was outside the airport waiting for his aunt who was on the flight.
The incident came two days before US President Barack Obama is scheduled to land in Mumbai, his first stop on a 10-day Asia trip.
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