Saudia Airlines Confirmed Safe After Two Bomb Threats; Investigations Underway

3 hours ago 1

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The North Sumatra Regional Police have confirmed that a Saudia Airlines plane, which recently made an emergency landing at Kualanamu Airport due to a bomb threat, has been declared safe after an investigation. "Up to now, no suspected bomb that became a terror on the aircraft has been found," stated North Sumatra Regional Police Chief Inspector General Whisnu Hermawan Februanto on Saturday, June 21, 2025.

This incident marks the second bomb threat against Saudia Airlines within a week. The Saudia Airlines SV 5688 flight, carrying Hajj pilgrims from Cluster 33 from Jember, East Java, received a bomb threat on Saturday, June 21, 2025. A similar incident occurred with Saudia Airlines SV-5726 on the Jeddah-Jakarta route on June 17, 2025.

Details of the Saudia Airlines Threats

1. Email Threat to SV 5688

The terror threat against Saudia Airlines flight SV 5688, with the Jeddah-Muscat-Surabaya route, forced its emergency landing at Kualanamu Airport, Medan.

According to Sugiyo, Secretary of the Hajj Organizer Committee Debarkasi Surabaya, the bomb threat was sent via email to Air Traffic Control (ATC) officers in Jakarta on Saturday, June 21, 2025. Officers immediately relayed the message to ATC in Kuala Lumpur, prompting the pilot to make the emergency landing.

2. Transportation Ministry's Confirmation

The Transportation Ministry confirmed that the threat came through a phone call received by ATC officers in the Jakarta Area Control Center (ACC) from the Kuala Lumpur ACC. This threat, however, was for a slightly different route: Jeddah-Muscat (Oman)-Surabaya.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Budi Gunawan urged the TNI (Indonesian Military), the National Police, and the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) to investigate the bomb threat to Saudia Airlines SV 5688.

"The government ensures that any potential threat to public safety is handled seriously, professionally, and in a coordinated manner across agencies," said Gunawan, a former head of the National Intelligence Agency, in a statement on Saturday, June 21, 2025.

3. Similarities to SV-5726 Incident

The latest terror threat is suspected to be similar to the June 17, 2025, incident involving Saudia Airlines SV-5726. That flight, on the Jeddah-Jakarta route and carrying 442 Hajj pilgrims from Cluster 12 Debarkasi Jakarta-Bekasi, also made an emergency landing at Kualanamu Airport after a bomb threat.

"This terror has happened again and is currently being investigated," Sugiyo noted.

Hilman Latief, Director General of Hajj and Umrah Organization of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, urged Indonesian Hajj pilgrims to remain calm following the bomb threat to the Airbus A330-343 Saudia Airlines flight number SV-5688 carrying pilgrims from Surabaya.

While the threat has not been proven, Hilman expressed hope that authorities would investigate the perpetrators to prevent further distress. "InshaAllah, the threat has not been proven; therefore, the pilgrims should remain calm. The pilgrims at Kualanamu will be flown to Surabaya tomorrow afternoon around 15.00 WIB," Hilman said on Saturday, June 21, 2025.

4. Delayed Departure

Major General Kristomei Sianturi, Head of the Information Center of the Indonesian Military Headquarters, confirmed that the 376 Hajj pilgrims from Cluster 33 Debarkasi Surabaya on Saudia Airlines SV 5688 are safe and have been accommodated in three hotels near the airport.

As a result of the incident, the arrival schedule for Cluster 33 at Juanda Airport, Surabaya, has changed. Originally planned for Saturday, June 21 at 11:30 WIB, the pilgrims from Jember will now be flown from Kualanamu to Surabaya on Sunday, June 22 at 03:30 WIB.

5. Coordination with Saudi Arabia

Kristomei explained that the TNI is coordinating with the security authorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to investigate this incident and "to ensure the security of international flights in the future."

For security purposes, the TNI, through Kodam I/Bukit Barisan, deployed a Platoon-level Unit (SSK) of Yonkav 6/NK, a Platoon of Jihandak Yonzipur 1/DD, supported by a Platoon of Kopasgat TNI AU, and a Platoon of the North Sumatra Regional Police's bomb disposal unit (Gegana Brimob).