Thiruvananthapuram: A bomb threat to a Muscat-bound flight from Thiruvananthapuram international airport triggered panic on Tuesday evening. Though bomb squads carried out a search, no suspicious objects could be detected. It was around 7.05 p.m., a call was received at the airport deputy manager's office stating that a passenger about to board an Oman Air flight to Muscat at 8.40 p.m. was smuggling brown sugar.

A few minutes later , another call came from the same person alerting that a friend of the earlier mentioned passenger was carrying explosives. Immediately, the airport officials invoked the bomb retrieval procedures by pressing into service the bomb squad and sniffer dogs.

The passenger and his friend mentioned by the anonymous caller were cordoned off by security officials and frisked. All passengers and luggage were also thoroughly checked. "So far no explosives could be traced and hence the aircraft may take off soon after completing the formalities," said airport director George Tharakan.