Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], June 16 (ANI): An anti-hijacking mock exercise (AHME) was successfully conducted on Tuesday at the Chennai International Airport to evaluate and strengthen the operational readiness and emergency response capabilities of multiple security and civil aviation agencies.
The high-profile security drill was held under the supervision of J Anne Mary Swarna, Joint Home Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu, and in the presence of R Ponni, DIG/CASO, along with senior officials from participating stakeholder departments, as per a statement released by CISF
The comprehensive exercise simulated a highly realistic aircraft takeover scenario, utilising a passenger bus to accurately recreate complex operational conditions on the ground.
A total of 339 personnel from diverse agencies participated in the drill, including the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Local Police, Airports Authority of India (AAI), various commercial airlines, Airport Fire Services, and Air Traffic Control (ATC), it added.
Underscoring the scale of national security coordination, the exercise also witnessed the active involvement of the Indian Air Force (IAF), Indian Coast Guard (ICG), Indian Navy, and the state administration.
Officials noted that the swift, coordinated response from all participants demonstrated a high level of tactical preparedness, operational readiness, and seamless inter-agency coordination.
Such joint military-civilian exercises play a vital role in fortifying protocols against hijacking threats, sharpening immediate operational response capabilities, and ensuring that all security apparatuses can seamlessly work together to tackle evolving global aviation security challenges, it added. (ANI)