More than 200 passengers aboard Air India Flight 127 were safely transported to Chicago this morning after a bomb scare forced the plane to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit, Nunavut. The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) stepped in to assist, ferrying the 211 passengers to their final destination when the small northern airport could not accommodate the unexpected influx.
The flight, en route from New Delhi to Chicago, was diverted early Tuesday as a precautionary measure following a bomb threat. Air India has acknowledged that this is one of several recent threats, later determined to be hoaxes, affecting the airline.
In an update issued overnight, Air India expressed its gratitude to the RCAF and Canadian authorities for their quick response, as well as to the staff at Iqaluit International Airport for their support during the emergency.
While the bomb threat was found to be false, the safety of passengers remained the top priority, with Ottawa authorizing the use of military resources to ensure the travellers’ swift transportation.