Air India Flight to New York Forced to Return to Mumbai Due to Security Threat

MUMBAI – An Air India flight en route from Mumbai to New York was unexpectedly turned back to its origin airport on Monday following a potential security threat.

The Boeing 777 aircraft, carrying 303 passengers and 19 crew members, was flying over Azerbaijan at 30,000 feet when it abruptly changed course and headed back to Mumbai. The flight, AI119, landed safely at Mumbai’s airport at 10:25 AM local time.

Air India confirmed the incident in a statement, explaining that the flight returned to Mumbai “in the interest of the safety and security of all on board” after a security concern emerged. The airline emphasized that all necessary safety procedures were followed.

Currently, security agencies are conducting mandatory inspections of the aircraft. Air India stated they are fully cooperating with these authorities.

The flight has been rescheduled for departure at 5:00 AM on Tuesday. Air India has arranged hotel accommodations, meals, and other assistance for all affected passengers while they wait for the rescheduled flight.

An Air India spokesperson stated that the airline is working to minimize the inconvenience to passengers caused by this disruption. They reiterated that passenger and crew safety remains Air India’s top priority.