Delhi-bound Air India flight issues ‘squawk’ hijack alert, diverted to Jaipur

An Air India flight from Delhi to Frankfurt was diverted to Jaipur on Wednesday (October 14, 2026) after a hijack alert, squawk code 7500, was reportedly transmitted while the aircraft was flying over the Mumbai Flight Information Region, prompting a security response.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is probing the incident, official sources said.

The aircraft, carrying 293 passengers and 13 crew members, landed safely at Jaipur International Airport at 9:35 a.m. and was moved to an isolation bay for security checks.

The alert was reportedly picked up by Ahmedabad Air Traffic Control (ATC) while the aircraft was flying through the Mumbai Flight Information Region. Under international aviation protocols, squawk code 7500 indicates unlawful interference, including a hijack situation.

Was it deliberate?

Airline sources disputed that the pilots had deliberately entered the hijack code. However, ATC sources contested this account, saying the investigation would examine the relevant recordings and other available evidence to establish what triggered the alert.

In a statement, an Air India spokesperson said, “Air India flight AI2030 operating from Frankfurt to Delhi on 14 October was diverted to Jaipur following a perceived security concern.”

The airline said the relevant security agencies carried out necessary checks and cleared the aircraft and crew. All passengers were disembarked and subjected to security checks before being flown to Delhi on the same aircraft with the same crew, the spokesperson said.