JAL Mileage Bank - [2012-08-01] JL006 NRT-JFK turned around due to bomb hoax

JAL issued this notice on its website earlier regarding JL006 (NRT-JFK) on Aug 1 2012

http://www.jal.co.jp/en/info/other/120801.html

Information about JAL006/August 1st, 2012

Japan Airlines flight JAL006 bound for New York (John F. Kennedy) on August 1st, 2012 took off from Tokyo Narita International Airport. However, in view of security reasons, the flight returned back to Narita, landing at 8:08pm the same day. All passengers onboard have disembarked safely.

The aircraft used for this flight has been replaced and it is scheduled to depart again for New York.

...

They didn't specify what the security reasons are but according to Japan local news reports, JAL has received an email stating there are planted explosive on the flights to JFK at around 13:26 JST, about 2 hours after takeoff.

For security reasons, JL006 turned around and returned to NRT. All 247 passengers and 18 crew members landed safely without injuries at 20:08 JST (apparently they had a full flight, W82 only has 246 seats, so there must be at least 1 infant onboard too). JAL switched aircraft and departed again at 22:36 JST with an estimated arrival time of 21:46 EST (10.5 hours delay). They performed a thorough search and no suspicious objects were found.

Local news reports:
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/news/20120801-OYT1T01440.htm
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20120801-00001440-yom-soci

JL005 from JFK to NRT on Aug 1 is also delayed as a result.

http://www.ar.jal.com/arl/cms/contents/en/special_news_002485.html

Due to late arrival of the aircraft, departure of JL005, New York(JFK) - Tokyo(NRT) on August 1st
has been changed as follows.


[Flight No] JL005, New York (JFK) to Tokyo (NRT)

[Original Scheduled Departure] August 1, 2012 (WED) 13:25 PM Eastern Time

[New Scheduled Departure] August 2, 2012 (THU) 08:00 AM Eastern Time

...

I wonder what they did on JL006 when they found out there's a bomb threat. Have they actually told the passengers they have to turn around due to security reasons or clearly stated it's due to a bomb threat and started distributing papers and pens for the passengers :eek:

Turns out the threat was related to the Aum Shinrikyo cult. They demanded the release of Shoko Asahara.

http://japandailypress.com/japan-airlines-flight-threatened-with-bomb-returns-to-narita-028101

Investigators have revealed that Japan Airlines received the bomb threat by email, and that it demanded the release of 57 year old Shoko Asahara, the leader of the Aum Shinrikyo religious cult that was responsible for the 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system. Asahara, along with 12 other senior members of the cult, are currently on death row. Aum Shinrikyo was heavily featured in the news in recent months after the last remaining fugitive, Katsuya Takahashi, was finally caught and arrested after 17 years on the run.