Minister Vijitha Herath said yesterday (29) that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has started an investigation into a reported bomb threat on a flight arriving from India. He spoke about this at the Cabinet Press briefing held yesterday. He also mentioned that this issue would be reviewed in the upcoming Security Council meeting, expressing concern that some recent incidents might be intentional attempts to cause disruption.
The minister explained that certain actions seem to be carried out to disrupt and spread fear. In response to the bomb threat, several flights were thoroughly checked, but no dangerous items were found. The CID is now investigating to see if the threat was intentionally created to disturb public order. He assured that steps would be taken to address these types of situations in the future.
More than 90 flights were affected by fake alerts
This incident adds to the growing list of recent bomb threats targeting Indian flights. Since mid-October, India has seen more than 90 flights affected by fake bomb alerts, which have disrupted schedules and caused alarm among passengers. Most threats came through social media or anonymous emails, targeting major airlines like Air India, IndiGo, Vistara, and Akasa Air. Security teams were quick to respond, but all threats were found to be false. Despite this, the repeated alerts have caused significant delays and required emergency procedures on flights both domestically and internationally.
In response, Indian authorities have blocked accounts on social media suspected of spreading these hoaxes and are working to trace their origins. Some reports suggest that the accounts may be linked to international networks. Sri Lankan authorities are taking similar steps to investigate the recent threat and will review safety protocols in upcoming security discussions.
Minister Herath’s statements highlight the need for close cooperation and continued vigilance in both countries to ensure the safety of travelers and prevent further disruptions.
