Chronology of the Bomb Terror on the Pilgrims' Flight: From Threat Emails to the Emergency Landing in Medan
The flight that was supposed to carry 442 hajj pilgrims from Jeddah directly to Soekarno-Hatta Airport suddenly had to be diverted and made an emergency landing at Kualanamu Airport in Medan, North Sumatra.
It is known that the plane landed safely after a bomb threat sent by an unknown person via email, shaking the national aviation security system and causing deep concern.
Chronology of Events
On Tuesday, June 17, 2025, at 07:30 WIB, an email containing a bomb threat was received by PT. Angkasa Pura Indonesia. This dark email immediately triggered the highest security protocol. Saudia Airlines flight SV 5276, which was already in the air at that time with 207 male pilgrims and 235 female pilgrims on board, immediately became the focus of attention.
Aware of the potential danger, the Pilot in Command (PIC) of the aircraft promptly coordinated with the Air Traffic Controller at JATSC (Jakarta Air Traffic Service Center). The safety of all souls on board became the top priority.
At 10:17 WIB, flight SV 5276, which was supposed to land in Jakarta, was diverted to Kualanamu International Airport, Medan, North Sumatra. The choice of Kualanamu was based on its proximity and the readiness of its infrastructure to handle emergency situations.
Around 38 minutes after the decision to divert, at exactly 10:55 WIB, the Saudia Airlines SV 5276 successfully landed safely at Kualanamu Airport. The tense atmosphere began to ease slightly among the crew and pilgrims, although vigilance remained high.
As soon as the plane landed, the emergency security procedures were immediately deactivated. The aircraft was quickly directed to an isolated parking position, a separate area at the airport designed specifically for handling security incidents.
All 442 passengers, which included the Hajj Group from Kloter 12 JKS from Depok City, West Java, were carefully evacuated. They were disembarked and moved to a safe area while waiting for further inspection.
Tim Penjinak Bahan Peledak (Bomb Disposal) from the police were immediately deployed to conduct a thorough search inside the aircraft. This process is crucial to ensure there is no real bomb threat and to guarantee flight safety.
"Entire handling is conducted according to national aviation security standards. Coordination between all parties is fast and effective," stated Air Transportation Director General Lukman F. Laisa.
In line with this, Corporate Secretary Group Head of InJourney Airport, Anak Agung Ngurah Pranajaya, stated that the airports under InJourney's management are fully prepared.
"All of our airports are ready to handle emergency situations. When flight SV 5276 passed by, the nearest airport was Kualanamu, so the nearest landing was redirected there," he explained.
Quick coordination between the pilot, air traffic control, the Ministry of Transportation, and airport management (InJourney Airport) is key to successfully handling this incident without causing casualties.
Guests Staying Overnight, Belongings Under Surveillance
After being evacuated, the 442 hajj pilgrims were temporarily accommodated at several hotels near Kualanamu Airport, namely Anara, Wing, Hub, and The Prime.
The Head of the Social Welfare Bureau at the West Java Provincial Secretariat, Andrie Kustria Wardana, explained that this accommodation is an anticipatory measure while waiting for the aircraft search process to be completed and security is declared safe.
The Head of the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) Office of Depok City, West Java, Enjat Mujiat, confirmed that the plane indeed carried the Hajj Group 12 JKS of Depok City.
"Indeed, that is the plane carrying the 422 Haji from the 12th Group of JKS Kota Depok," Enjat explained.
I should add that the congregation is currently being directed to the hotel or North Sumatra Hajj dormitory to rest.
The Regional Office (Kanwil) of the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) of North Sumatra (Sumut) and the Regional Office (Kanwil) of the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) of West Java also went directly to the airport to calm the pilgrims and continued to coordinate.
Nurlaela Muhammad, Ketua Kloter 12 JKS Kota Depok, memberikan klarifikasi langsung kepada jemaah terkait situasi yang dihadapi.
"Due to flight safety reasons, we regretfully must accommodate you in a hotel in Medan tonight. All accommodations and consumption for the pilgrims will be fully covered by the North Sumatra government," he said.
"Please offer prayers, patience, and cooperation from all members so that our efforts to secure our journey can proceed smoothly. May we all be able to reunite with our families in good health and safety," pleaded Nurlaela.
I also ask for prayers from all the people of Depok City.
"We ask for prayers from the community so that all of our hajj pilgrims can get through this situation calmly. Currently, everything is safe and sound. We continue to coordinate with the central committee and aviation authorities," he concluded.
Investigation and Improvement of Vigilance
Although the situation has been successfully controlled, the authorities have not stopped the measures. A thorough investigation continues to be conducted in order to track down the sender of the bomb threat email. Such threats are serious criminal offenses that can disrupt national security and cause significant damage.
The aviation authorities also emphasized that they will increase security vigilance across all airports in Indonesia, especially for critical flights such as the departure and arrival of Hajj pilgrims.
The further flight plan from Medan to Jakarta will be informed after the security check results are declared safe and there are no indications of real bomb threats.
This event serves as a bitter reminder of the constant threat to security, yet at the same time demonstrates the alertness and professionalism of the relevant parties in maintaining the security of Indonesian aviation.
For the pilgrims waiting patiently now, hoping to soon continue their journey and reunite with their families in their homeland. ***
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