A Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia Airlines) plane with the flight number SV-5276 made an emergency landing on Tuesday (June 17) in Indonesia. The aircraft was carrying 442 Hajj pilgrims returning from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, but had to divert midway due to a bomb threat.
According to reports from Reuters, both the Indonesian police and the airline confirmed that all passengers have been safely evacuated.
The Boeing 777-300ER was originally headed to the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, but had to land urgently at Kualanamu International Airport in North Sumatra province after receiving a bomb threat via email. The plane had 207 male passengers and 235 female passengers on board.
The airport immediately activated emergency procedures, prioritizing the evacuation of passengers and deploying a bomb disposal team for inspection. Police and airport security personnel simultaneously scanned the cabin and luggage, but no suspicious items have been found so far. The investigation is still ongoing.
Whisnu Hermawan, the police chief of North Sumatra, stated that after the aircraft completed the inspection, the police are conducting further searches of all luggage.
Saudia Airlines issued a statement saying they are assisting passengers in arranging alternative flights to continue their journeys.