Lufthansa Flight Diverts Back to Germany Due to Bomb Threat

Incident Overview

An official at Hyderabad Airport reported on Monday that a Lufthansa flight bound for Hyderabad had to turn back mid-air due to a bomb threat, returning to Germany. The official informed a news agency that the aircraft was redirected after the threat was received while it was still outside Indian airspace.

Flight Delays and Passenger Impact

The Lufthansa flight, which had departed from Germany, faced a significant delay of approximately 20 hours before it could take off again, causing considerable inconvenience for passengers. The aircraft was not permitted to land at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport.

Flight LH752 took off from Frankfurt around 2:30 PM on Sunday, with an expected arrival in Hyderabad at 6 AM on Monday. However, due to the bomb threat, the plane was returned to Frankfurt. A passenger named Madhavi Lata shared her experience with a media outlet, stating that after three hours of travel, they were informed that the flight could not land in Hyderabad and was heading back to Frankfurt. She expressed frustration as her plans to visit her elderly parents were disrupted.

Passenger Reactions

Another traveler, Venu, who was en route from San Francisco, expressed surprise at the decision to return to Frankfurt, noting that the flight had been airborne for nearly four hours before the reversal. The journey resumed around 10 AM the following day, further delaying their arrival in Hyderabad.

Venu felt relieved that all passengers were safe but was bewildered by the situation, stating, 'We were shocked that the plane was going back. We didn’t understand what was happening.' This incident caused significant delays for many passengers, with Arogya Chowdhury, arriving from Canada, experiencing the longest wait of nearly 72 hours in Frankfurt.

Security Measures Taken

According to sources at Hyderabad Airport, an email was received on June 15 around 6 PM, threatening to bomb Lufthansa flight 752. A bomb threat assessment committee was established, and all procedures were followed according to standard operating protocols. For safety reasons, the airline was advised to return the aircraft to its departure point or the nearest suitable airport.