Air India passengers get a lift from RCAF after bomb scare forces landing in Nunavut

An Air India flight, en route from Delhi to Chicago, seen in the image, was diverted to Iqaluit International airport in Nunavut Tuesday morning. (RCMP Handout)

IQALUIT, Nunavut — More than 200 Air India passengers have landed in Chicago after a bomb threat forced their flight to be diverted to Nunavut.

The airline issued an update overnight via social media, thanking the Royal Canadian Air Force for helping ferry the 211passengers of Flight 127 from India to their final destination.

Since Iqaluit was not equipped to house that many unexpected guests, Ottawa gave the green light to use military resources to help the waylaid travellers.

The flight from New Delhi was diverted early Tuesday morning as a precautionary measure.

A spokesman for Air India did not explain why its plane could not leave Nunavut with the passengers.

As for the bomb threat, Air India says it and other airlines have been subject to "a number of threats" recently, which were later found to be hoaxes.

The airline's update also thanked the Canadian authorities and those at the Iqaluit International Airport for their support and assistance.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2024.