Air India flight contacts Karachi ATC after bomb threat en route to London

Karachi air traffic control was briefly put on alert after a bomb threat was reported on board Air India flight AI147, which was en route from Ahmedabad, India, to London’s Gatwick Airport.

The aircraft’s captain informed Pakistani authorities that the situation on board was under control, opting to continue the journey without diverting. The flight, which entered Pakistani airspace near Tharparkar, passed over Nawabshah and Kalat before crossing into Afghanistan.

Sources said the plane was in Pakistani airspace for approximately one hour and 35 minutes, covering nearly 700 nautical miles. It was briefly placed in a holding pattern before resuming its course due to some complexities, but no emergency landing was requested.

The flight carried on to its destination, adhering to standard aviation procedures that involve alerting the next air traffic control region when a security threat is reported. “The captain decided to handle the situation, reporting calm inside the cabin,” sources stated.