Air India flight delayed as security agency detains sky marshal with weapon
New Delhi, May 7: An Air India (AI) flight was delayed by over four hours on May 6 after the sky marshal of the aircraft was detained by the security agency with a weapon at Sri Lanka's Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Colombo. The flight was bound for Chennai.
"The sky marshal was detained at the transit terminal (passengers) area with loaded firearms, delaying the flight by over four hours," an official said.
After the hijacking of Air India IC 814 in Kandahar in 1999, sky marshals or flight marshals were introduced in India to prevent future hijackings. Sky marshals fly in passenger (commercial) aircraft with loaded firearms/weapons and can also take action in the aircraft to prevent hijacking. The National Security Guard (NSG), India's elite commando unit, recruits sky marshals.
The guidelines state that "the sky marshal is strictly prohibited from taking his weapons out of the aircraft," and that "if the security officer wishes to exit the aircraft, he must hand over the firearm to the aircraft's pilot in command (PIC)."
Sources said that the has been reported to the Indian High Commission in Colombo and "the issue was resolved diplomatically."
- ANI
