Swiss F-18s escorted Israeli airliner after bomb threat

by WorldTribune Staff, July 5, 2016

Switzerland scrambled F-18 aircraft to escort an Israeli passenger jet on July 5 after a bomb threat was made against the airliner, Israel’s Airports Authority said.

Swiss Air Force F-18
Swiss Air Force F-18

The Israeli El Al Boeing 747 continued on its scheduled route to Tel Aviv. The flight originated in New York City. No emergency was declared at Tel Aviv’s Ben-Gurion International Airport.

The Airports Authority said the Swiss F-18s were sent to escort the Israeli airliner “because of a bomb threat.”

The Swiss Air Force confirmed it had deployed an air police “hot mission” to accompany the plane through an emergency situation.

An El Al spokeswoman declined to give details about the credibility of what she described as an anonymous threat.

Asked whether the airline had deemed the threat credible, she said: “You can understand on your own, if the plane is continuing on its way.”

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