Two Air India flights flew over Iran airspace a few hours before Israel attack

Spokesman says there were no flying restrictions or alerts from aviation authorities prohibiting flights. Air India rerouted flights later during the weekend.

New Delhi: At least two Air India planes flew through Iran-controlled airspace barely a few hours preceding that country’s massive aerial attack on Israel, potentially putting the lives of several passengers and crew at risk.

flights 116 and 131 flew from New York to Mumbai and from Mumbai to London, respectively, on April 13 and April 14 above the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman when the shadow of a loomed large, showed data by Flightradar24, a website that tracks flights.

Iran attacked over the weekend, firing at least 300 drones and missiles. Iran’s military assault was expected for days after tensions between the two countries ratcheted up on April 1, when fighter jets struck a building that is part of the Iranian Embassy at Damascus in Syria.

The Air India planes, a Boeing 777-232 and Boeing 777ER, can accommodate roughly 280 and 330 passengers.