A passenger plane of Singapore Airlines is feared to have been highjacked as it transmitted an emergency alert off the coast of Los Angeles. Singapore Airlines flight SQ37 broadcast a transponder code of 7500 shortly after takeoff from Los Angeles International Airport.
The plane, which flies to Singapore, left the west coast of the United States before midnight yesterday. Shortly after, it sent out a 7500 code, a distress signal indicating a possible hijack, according to Daily Mail.
Technical Glitch Caused Hijacking Alarm
But officials have confirmed that the hijacking alarm was caused by a technical glitch. Currently, the flight is on its normal course and an emergency signal is no longer being received - indicating a technical glitch or false alarm.
The aircraft, which is flying to Singapore, left the West Coast of the United States before midnight yesterday. It was scheduled to land in Southeast Asia at 7.50 am, spending most of its time in the air over the Pacific Ocean, the report stated.
Singapore Airlines Flight SQ37 Sent Out 7500 (Possible Hijack) Transponder Code
"Watch. Singapore Airlines flight SQ37 sent out 7500 (possible hijack) transponder code shortly after taking off from Los Angeles International Airport," tweeted Noreen Jameel, former Reuters journalist.
In the case of a hijacking, the pilot of the aircraft has to inform the ground official by sending out a 7500 code on its transponder. The action alerts ATC about the hijacking to make an appropriate decision to tackle the emergency situation.
Singapore Airlines Plane Was Hacked In The Past
Terrorists were demanding the release of the husband of former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto. When the flight landed at the Singapore airport, no negotiations took place with the terrorists and Armed Forces stormed the plane killing all the terrorists.
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