El Al flight gets Swiss Air Force escort after bomb threat

Two Swiss Air Force F-18 fighter jets established visual contact with the Boeing 747 passenger airliner that originated in New York and accompanied it until it passed out of Swiss airspace.

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JERUSALEM (JTA) — An El Al flight from New York to Tel Aviv landed safely after a bomb threat prompted an escort by the Swiss Air Force.

An anonymous bomb threat was called in to El Al on Tuesday when the plane was flying over the French-Swiss border. Two Swiss Air Force F-18 fighter jets established visual contact with the Boeing 747 passenger airliner and accompanied it until it passed out of Swiss airspace, the dpa news service reported.

The airplane’s kitchen was searched, but no explosives were found.

The plane landed safely in Tel Aviv. Passengers aboard the flight were not aware of the security concern, The Jerusalem Post reported.

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