With bomb threat cleared El Al flight from NY lands safely in Tel Aviv

Two Swiss Air Force jets escorted an Israeli El Al passenger plane that was travelling from New York to Tel Aviv because of a bomb threat on board, Swiss media reported Tuesday.

According to Israeli media reports, an anonymous bomb threat prompted Swiss authorities to send the F-18 jets to accompany the El Al flight.

The Israeli plane was in Swiss air space for a total of roughly four minutes. Once it left Switzerland's air space the fighter jets returned to their base.

• The Israeli daily Haaretz reported that U.S. aviation authorities had received an "anonymous tip about a bomb inside an airplane kitchenette."

"The Americans updated Swiss authorities while the plane was in Swiss airspace, and the Swiss scrambled fighter jets to escort the plane," the ministry continued, adding that "an examination showed the plane was 'clean' and it continued its journey as usual."

El Al, Israel's national airline, confirmed the reports, but said that the flight had not been affected and the plane was on its way to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport.

Passengers on board were not told of the threat while the flight was in the air, said the Times of Israel, and only learned about the news of the hoax after landing in Tel Aviv.
 [i24news.tv]
5/7/16
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