In a fresh disruption caused by escalating tensions in the Middle East, Air India flight AI129 from Mumbai to London Heathrow returned to its origin shortly after takeoff on Friday morning. According to live flight tracking data on Flightradar24, the Boeing 787 aircraft had initially begun its journey over the Arabian Sea but reversed course mid-air and headed back to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.
The airline has not released an official statement yet, but the sudden U-turn aligns with the precautionary diversions initiated by Air India following Iran’s airspace closure. As of Friday, Iranian skies have become inaccessible to many carriers following Israel’s large-scale preemptive airstrike on Iranian nuclear and military sites.
Escalating Iran-Israel Conflict
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) launched what they called a “preemptive, precise, combined offensive” targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. Multiple airstrikes were reported across Iranian territory, including near its primary nuclear enrichment sites. In response, Iran closed off sections of its airspace amid fears of retaliatory strikes.
With rising geopolitical risks and aviation safety concerns in the region, several international carriers have either rerouted or suspended flights passing through or near Iranian territory.
Air India has already confirmed diversions of 16 international routes, including flights from New York, Toronto, London, and Chicago to India, many of which have been rerouted to Sharjah, Jeddah, Vienna, or Frankfurt.
Further updates on AI129’s status are awaited from the airline.
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