An Air India flight from New Delhi to Chicago was directed to land at a Nunavut airport on Oct. 15 following an online security threat, the airline says.
A spokesperson for Air India told The Epoch Times the airline decided to divert the flight as a precautionary measure.
“The aircraft and passengers are being re-screened as per the laid down security protocol,” the airline said in an emailed statement.
Air India said it has resources at the Iqaluit International Airport to help passengers until they can secure a flight to their destination.
The RCMP confirmed the flight made an emergency landing in Iqaluit at 5:21 a.m.
Air India also said other airlines have recently received similar threats.
“Though all have subsequently been found to be hoaxes, as a responsible airline operator all threats are taken seriously,” the statement said.
The airline said it was cooperating with authorities to identify who was behind the security threat and said it would consider legal action against those responsible to recover costs associated with the emergency landing.
At that time the airline faced a boycott by members of the Sikh independence movement.
The latest flight diversion comes a day after Canada and India announced tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats, as tensions between the two countries rise.
On Oct. 14, India expelled six Canadian diplomats and asked the officials to leave the country by Oct. 19.
The announcement was made after Canada kicked out six diplomats from India, citing allegations on Oct. 14 from the RCMP, who said that Indian government agents have been linked to murder, extortion, and coercion in Canada.
