Egyptians warn of tourist flight bomb threat

An Egyptian news agency intervened after receiving an alert of a bomb threat on a British passenger plane bound for the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, this afternoon.

The Thomson Airways Boeing 757, which had 213 people on board, was forced to make an emergency landing in Athens after the security alert was passed on by the Egyptian news agency to the plane’s crew, according to BBC news reports.

The Greek air force said two F-16 jets and a Super Puma helicopter escorted the plane, which was on its way from Bristol to the popular Egyptian report, to Athens International airport, where it landed safely and was evacuated.

Thomson said the crew took the decision to divert to Athens "as a precaution and in the interest of safety".

A spokesman added: "The plane landed safely and there were no injuries. A full inspection of the aircraft is being carried out."