A SriLankan Airlines flight (UL 122) from Chennai to Colombo was subjected to a full security screening at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo on Saturday after a terror threat email alleged that five Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives were onboard the flight. The threat, however, was later deemed to be a hoax, according to official sources.
The alert originated at 11:05 am when the Chief Security Officer at Chennai Airport received an email warning that “five South Indian males on UL 122 (9:55 am) are Lashkar operatives. Clean profile, well-trained, no suspicion.”
By the time the email was received, UL 122 had already departed Chennai for Colombo. The non-specific threat was immediately relayed to authorities in Sri Lanka, prompting urgent security measures at Colombo’s international airport.
All Passengers Deboarded, Flight Cleared After Thorough Search
Upon arrival in Colombo, all passengers were deboarded, and the entire aircraft was searched by airport security in coordination with Sri Lankan intelligence and law enforcement agencies. The search revealed no suspicious individuals or materials, and no arrests were made.
SriLankan Airlines issued a statement confirming the aircraft had been cleared and was safe for operations: “The search was carried out in coordination with local authorities following an alert from the Chennai Area Control Centre regarding a suspect wanted in India who was believed to be on board. The flight was subsequently cleared for further operations.”
Heightened Vigilance After Pahalgam Terror Attack
The threat comes at a time of high alert across the region following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Barisan Valley, where 26 civilians, mostly tourists, were killed in a mass shooting allegedly carried out by terrorists linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba and its proxy, The Resistance Front (TRF).
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Indian intelligence agencies are working closely with international counterparts to track down suspects and thwart any cross-border terror plots. A massive manhunt is underway, but the attackers remain untraceable.
Aviation and Security Agencies on High Alert
Although Saturday’s threat was ultimately a false alarm, aviation and intelligence agencies remain on edge amid concerns of fresh terror attempts or hoax threats designed to destabilize civil operations in the region.
Authorities have urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity. Chennai Airport and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) are also conducting a probe into the source of the hoax email, and legal action is expected under anti-terror laws.
