Bomb scare on Indian flight

BY A CORRESPONDENT
May 21, 2006

An Italian woman who said she was a human bomb caused a three-hour delay at Delhi's Palam airport on Saturday night. Needless to say, no bomb was found, and the woman is believed to have made the statement in an inebriated or heavily medicated state.

Before the Ahmedabad-bound Indian Airlines flight IC 861 was to take off from Delhi's Palam Airport, the woman, who was crouching on her seat apparently told a co-passenger that she had a bomb with her. The co-passenger alerted the air-hostess, who promptly informed the captain. The captain refused to fly the plane, and informed airport authorities.

All the passengers were deplaned and the woman was taken for questioning. It was found that she was under heavy medication and probably in pain. CISF and intelligence authorities questioned her for three hours, checked all the baggage and found her innocent. Indian arranged for another plane to take the passengers to Ahmedabad, which carried several VIPs.

Though the bomb claim proved to be a hoax, it is not clear whether the woman actually meant she had a bomb with her. It is possible that the woman was not in her right senses when she said it. However the case may be, passengers and authorities heaved a sigh of relief when the flight finally departed three hours late.