Hijack code appeared, pilots said all normal: Mystery behind Air India flight scare
An Air India flight was diverted to Jaipur after the aircraft's transponder transmitted a hijack code, despite the pilots reporting that all operations were normal. Aviation authorities are investigating whether the incident was caused by a software error or an inadvertent manual input.
Why it matters
The incident raises concerns about the reliability of aviation communication systems and the potential for false alarms in critical security protocols.
NEW DELHI: What led to a false hijack scare that sent Air India’s longhaul Frankfurt-Delhi flight being diverted to Jaipur on Wednesday has now become the subject of a probe by both aviation and security agencies. The Boeing 787-9 with about 300 people on board had entered Indian airspace via the long route taken these days due to closure of Pakistan skies for Indian carriers when Mumbai air traffic control systems received this aircraft squawking transponder code 7500 which is the aviation code for hijacking or unlawful interference.People in the know say the pilots denied squawking the code and they told ATC that everything was alright. But as per established protocol, the aircraft was diverted to Jaipur where it was parked on a remote bay. Extensive checks were carried out of everyone on board, baggage and the aircraft.
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