WhatsApp chat stalls flight take-off at Mangalore International Airport

MANGALURU: Suspicious Whatsapp messages by a woman and a man forced airport security authorities to stop a flight from taking off at Mangalore International Airport. The incident occured on Sunday when a woman and man sent text messages regarding security matters. The duo was taken into custody by the airport officials. 

The man was heading to Mumbai and the woman was supposed to travel to Bengaluru. The man was inside the flight and it was ready for take-off and the girl sent a message ‘‘You are bomber’’. They spoke about causing danger to the security of the flight and a co-passenger observed it and informed the air hostess and the pilot. The pilot then informed ATC and the flight was stopped from taking off. 

The airport security officials rushed inside the flight and shifted the passengers from the flight and checked for any security issue. The flight was also sent to Isolation Bay and the duo were subjected to questioning. The duo agreed that they were just joking.

Both of them hail from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. The man was supposed to join a company in Mumbai and the woman is pursuing higher education in Bengaluru. The duo has been handed over to Bajpe police. The same flight left for Mumbai after a six-hour delay at 4 pm. There were 186 passengers.