The Threat Of Bombing Saudia Airlines Aircraft Transporting Indonesian Hajj Pilgrims Was Sent Via Email

The Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) revealed the chronology of the alleged bomb threat on the Saudia SV-5726 aircraft carrying pilgrims from Indonesia and landing at Kualanamu Airport, Medan, in an emergency.

The Director General of Civil Aviation at the Ministry of Transportation Lukman F. Faisa said that his party received a report from PT Angkasa Pura Indonesia regarding the threat of a bomb sent by an unknown person via electronic mail (email) at 07.30 WIB.

"The email contains threats from unknown people who will blow up the plane belonging to Saudia Airlines SV 5276 on the Jeddah - Jakarta route (Soekarno Hatta Airport) carrying 442 pilgrims in batch 12 JKS, with details of male passengers as many as 207 people, and female passengers as many as 235," Lukman said as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, June 17.

Furthermore, Soekarno-Hatta Airport activated the Emergency Operation Center (EOC) which is the command and control center for emergency control at the airport and contacted members of the Soekarno Hatta Airport Security Committee to gather in the EOC room to take further steps to deal with the threat of bombs on the aircraft.

The latest information obtained from AirNav Indonesia as the organizer of flight traffic, Lukman continued, at 10.17 WIB that the Pilot in Command (PIC) informed JATSC Air Traffic Controller officers to decide on a diversion (transferring flights) from Soekarno-Hatta Airport to move to Kualanamu Airport in Medan for early handling.

Then Kualanamu Airport coordinated with the Regional Airport Authority Office II and activated the EOC and contacted members of the Kualanamu Airport Security Committee to gather in the EOC room to take steps to deal with the threat of bombs on the aircraft.

"The Explosives Disposal Team (Jhandak) from the police has been contacted and is ready at Kualanamu Airport to handle security measures according to the provisions," he said.

Then, at 10.55 WIB, the Saudia Airlines SV 5276 aircraft landed at Kualanamu Airport, Medan and was directed to park at the isolated parking position.

Kualanamu Airport has evacuated Hajj passengers and then Team Jihandak conducted a search of the bomb's presence on the plane.

The flight security emergency measures taken are in accordance with the Regulation of the Minister of Transportation Number PM 140 of 2015 concerning the Management of the National Aviation Safety Emergency Situation and the Decree of the Director General of Air Transportation Number PR 22 of 2024 concerning Technical Guidelines for the Assessment of Aviation Security Threats.

"The Directorate General of Civil Aviation of the Ministry of Transportation continues to coordinate with all flight operators, the Airport Security Committee and other related parties until conditions are safely under control," said Lukman.