False Alarm, Real Panic: Mumbai-Bound Air India Flight Triggers Mid-Air ‘Hijack’ Scare

It was meant to be another routine flight—Air India’s AI 2957, New Delhi to Mumbai—but the skies had other plans. At 8:40 PM on Monday, an emergency signal cut through the static, triggering an alert no air traffic controller ever wants to receive. Squawk 7500. The hijack code.

With that single distress signal, the well-oiled machinery of aviation security snapped into action. Airports Authority of India (AAI), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), the Indian Air Force, and even the National Security Guard (NSG)—all mobilized in a matter of minutes. At Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, a central crisis committee was formed. In Mumbai, the aerodrome committee at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport braced itself. And yet, even as the sirens wailed and officials huddled over screens, the pilot calmly informed Delhi ATC that it was a false alarm. But protocol is unforgiving.

Security Doesn’t Second-Guess a Hijack Code

For those unfamiliar with aviation security, a hijack signal isn’t just a message—it’s a possible cry for help under duress.

“How can ATC assume that the pilot is not being coerced into saying the flight is fine?”

a former ATC official asked, choosing to remain anonymous. A hijacker could have been standing in the cockpit, gun pressed against the pilot’s temple. It’s a scenario aviation experts train for, one that they cannot afford to dismiss lightly. Even after the pilot repeatedly confirmed the false alarm, Mumbai ATC followed standard operating procedure—declaring a full emergency, deploying the NSG, and preparing for a worst-case scenario. At 9:47 PM, the aircraft, carrying 126 passengers, landed in Mumbai. It was immediately diverted to an isolation bay, where it sat under the watchful eyes of armed personnel. Passengers were asked to remain seated. No one moved for an hour, until every protocol was satisfied and every security check cleared.

How Did the Hijack Signal Go Off?

The origin of the scare was traced to the aircraft’s transponder, which sent out a ‘Squawk 7500’ code immediately after takeoff. For the uninitiated, squawk codes are four-digit signals programmed into a transponder to help ATC track aircraft movement. They range from 0000 to 7777, each serving a distinct purpose.

• 7600 signals a radio communication failure
• 7700 flags a technical or onboard emergency
• 7500 is the worst of them all—unlawful interference, or hijacking

For a full three minutes, AI 2957’s transponder blared 7500, sending ATC and security agencies into overdrive. The question now is: was it a technical failure, pilot error, or an ATC misinterpretation?

Aviation Authorities Begin Probe

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), along with BCAS and CISF, has launched an investigation to determine the cause.

“Was it a pilot’s slip-up? A technical glitch? Or did an ATC official misread the signal?” one aviation ministry official speculated, opting to remain unnamed. Until the findings are released, speculation looms large.

Air India has maintained a studied silence, with no official statement from its spokesperson. However, an airline official familiar with the incident dismissed crew involvement, hinting that a transponder malfunction was the likely culprit.

“The pilot realized the error post-takeoff and informed ATC that the aircraft was operating normally,” the official said. But, as another ministry source pointed out, “Once the alarm is triggered, there is no undo button. The protocol must run its course.”

Security Protocol: A Necessary Hassle or a Testament to Preparedness?

For the 126 passengers on board, what was meant to be a short domestic flight turned into an ordeal. An hour-long wait. The uncertainty of an emergency landing. Armed officials ensuring compliance. But in an era where air security cannot afford even a second of complacency, was it unnecessary? Or absolutely essential? In a world that has witnessed 9/11, Kandahar, and countless other mid-air crises, one truth remains indisputable: it is better to be over-prepared than underprepared. This wasn’t a hijack. But if it had been, authorities were ready. And perhaps, in that lies the most reassuring fact of all.