DGCA probes alleged false hijack code broadcast by Air India flight AI2030

According to sources, the pilot-in-command denied squawking transponder code 7500, while ATC maintained that it had received the signal from the aircraft

See more Toronto Sun on Google — save as a Preferred Source Indian aviation officials are investigating how an Air India airliner apparently broadcast an erroneous emergency message to air traffic controllers. The drama began on Wednesday when the transponder aboard Flight 2030 — a regular Air India flight transporting 300 people from Frankfurt to Delhi — began broadcasting the 7500 squawk code, an international signal used by pilots to quietly signal air traffic controllers that the plane is being hijacked. According to reports published in The Times of India , the pilots of the Boeing 787-9 told air traffic controllers that all was well and denied sending the code. Despite this, security procedures prompted officials to force the plane to land in the Indian city of Jaipur, about 230 kilometres southwest of their destination. There, the plane was parked at a remote parking area at Jaipur International Airport, where local police, bomb squads and anti-terrorism security forces escorted passengers off the aircraft and conducted a complete check. Passengers, cargo and crew were later given an all-clear, and the plane continued its journey to Delhi. Squawk code still under investigation “Air India flight AI2030 operating from Frankfurt to Delhi on Oct 14 was diverted to Jaipur following a perceived security concern,” read a statement from Air India. “The aircraft landed safely in Jaipur. The relevant security agencies carried out the necessary checks and have cleared the aircraft and crew.” The statement continued, saying the airline worked with authorities to minimize the impact to passengers, who were all rescreened and re-cleared through airport security before being allowed to re-board. “We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to our passengers due to this unforeseen disruption and appreciate their patience and understanding. The safety and security of our passengers and crew remain Air India’s highest priority.” With both pilots denying sending the code, questions remain about how this could have happened. Aircraft transponders are devices used to transmit identification, altitude and speed data to air traffic controllers. A crucial piece of safety gear on all commercial aircraft, transponders allow air traffic controllers to track individual aircraft in heavy-traffic areas. Transponders also allow pilots to assign their aircraft unique four-digit codes. While these codes are usually assigned by air traffic controllers, a list of internationally recognized codes is used by pilots during emergencies. These include 7500, which indicates the plane is currently being hijacked; 7600 for total radio communications failures, and 7700 for general emergencies. As pilots must manually each digit of the squawk code into the transponder, there’s virtually zero chance of a pilot sending out an erroneous squawk code — leaving investigators to ponder rare possibilities including hardware problems in the plane, or software issues in air traffic control. bpassifiume@postmedia.com X: @bryanpassifiume