The Indian Air Force said it temporarily scrambled fighter jets after receiving a bomb alert from Mahan Air en route to Guangzhou in China.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) says it temporarily muddled fighter jets after receiving a bomb alert on an Iranian airliner that turned out to be false.
“IAF fighter planes were scrambling following the plane at a safe distance. The plane was offered the option to land in Jaipur and then Chandigarh,” the IAF said in a statement Monday, referring to two airports in northern India.
The statement said the pilot was unwilling to divert to either airport.
The Air Force said it later received intelligence from the Iranian capital Tehran to ignore the bomb alert and the flight continued its journey, according to a statement.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanani told reporters during a news conference on Monday that he had heard the reports about the plane but could not confirm the details at the moment.
Iranian airline Mahan Air’s Airbus A340, with a capacity of 320 to 475 passengers, was en route from Tehran to Guangzhou in China.
Flight tracker websites showed the plane made several circles in the air west of the Indian capital, New Delhi, before heading east to its final destination.