The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is investigating a potential technical malfunction that caused a false hijack alarm on an Air India flight, which triggered an emergency response from authorities at two of India’s busiest airports. The incident occurred on January 27, when Air India flight AI 2957, carrying 126 passengers, transmitted a “squawk 7500” code, a distress signal commonly associated with hijacking situations.
The alarm prompted immediate action, with emergency teams mobilized at both Mumbai and Delhi airports. However, upon further investigation, aviation officials believe that a technical error might have been responsible for sending the false alert. The “squawk 7500” code is typically reserved for situations where a hijack is suspected, but the aircraft in question did not experience any such emergency.
DGCA officials are currently probing the matter to determine whether the code was transmitted unintentionally due to a malfunction in the aircraft’s equipment. Preliminary reports suggest that there was no actual hijacking, and no passengers were harmed. The regulator is working to clarify the exact cause of the incident, while ensuring such false alarms do not compromise air safety and airport security.
The false alarm caused a brief disruption but ultimately, no serious consequences ensued. This incident highlights the importance of maintaining and regularly inspecting aviation technology to prevent such errors from affecting flight operations and airport protocols. The DGCA is expected to release further details after completing the investigation into the cause of the transmission error.