DENPASAR: Bali police have launched an investigation into a suspected hoax bomb threat targeting I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport after airport authorities received a threatening message on Sunday (Aug 2) night.
Airport police spokesperson Second Insp I Gede Suka Artana said officers immediately conducted a security sweep of the airport and launched an investigation after the threat was received.
"No explosives were found during the search, but the investigation is continuing to identify the individual responsible for making the threat," Suka Artana said on Tuesday.
"We are thoroughly examining all available information, and all investigative measures are being carried out professionally in close coordination with relevant authorities," he added.
Suka Artana said airport operations had returned to normal, with all flights and passenger services running as scheduled. He added that security at Ngurah Rai International Airport remained under control. He said police would continue working with airport authorities to ensure the safety and security of passengers and airport users.
Gede Eka Sandi Asmadi, head of communications and legal affairs at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, said the airport received the threat through a messaging application at 9.58pm on Sunday.
The message claimed that a woman carrying a bomb planned to hijack a flight departing from the airport. He said the airport would continue to coordinate closely with police and other agencies to identify the person responsible and determine the motive behind the threat.
"We urge the public and airport users not to make false security threats or spread misleading information that could disrupt airport operations or cause unnecessary alarm," Asmadi said.
"Airports are designated as national vital objects under Indonesian law, and any false report or misleading information concerning a security threat is a criminal offence punishable by law."
This is not the first bomb threat involving I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport.
In August last year, a 22-year-old passenger on a NAM Air flight from Denpasar to Tambolaka, East Nusa Tenggara, was detained after claiming there was a bomb on board before the aircraft's departure. A subsequent search found no explosives, and while the remaining 128 passengers were allowed to continue their journey, the suspect was removed from the flight and detained for questioning.
In June 2023, a 23-year-old passenger on an Air Jet flight from Denpasar to Medan's Kualanamu airport in North Sumatra was removed from the aircraft after falsely claiming he was carrying a bomb before takeoff.
Authorities searched the aircraft and found no explosives. The passenger was questioned by airport investigators for about 12 hours before being released, while the flight proceeded without him.
I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, located in Tuban about 13km south of Denpasar, is Bali's main aviation gateway and Indonesia's second-busiest airport after Soekarno-Hatta International Airport near Jakarta.
The airport handles around 32 million passengers annually, serving as a major hub for domestic and international tourism. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
