Kozhikode: A Sharjah-bound Air Arabia flight was grounded for over five hours at Calicut International Airport here after a hoax bomb threat triggered panic. One of the passengers who arrived on the aircraft from Sharjah to Calicut had left a note saying 'bomb' on one of the seats and it was found by the ground staff before boarding commenced, a senior airport official said. Subsequently, the police were alerted, the aircraft was grounded and the bomb detection squad carried out a thorough inspection of the plane, the official said.
"It was later found that the note was a hoax bomb threat. The inspection and security drills have just been concluded. We are awaiting a report from the bomb detection squad before the flight is cleared for take-off," the official said around 11 am.
He also said that the flight, which was scheduled to depart around 8.30 am, will now leave at around 5 pm.
"The passengers have been accommodated at the airport and have been provided food and water," he added.
Meanwhile, police said that the passenger who put the note in the aircraft has not yet been identified and they are trying to find out who was behind the hoax threat.
"Further steps will be taken accordingly," an officer from Karipur police station said.
(With PTI inputs)
