2 Air France Flights Diverted After Threats

They were en route to France from 2 US airports
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Nov 18, 2015 12:03 AM CST
2 Air France Flights Diverted After Threats
An Air France plane sits on the tarmac after it was diverted to Halifax Stanfield International Airport near Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Wednesday.   (Andrew Vaughan/The Canadian Press via AP)

Two Air France flights bound for Paris from the US had to be diverted Tuesday night because of anonymous threats received after they had taken off, but both planes landed safely in North America, officials say. One plane, Air France Flight 65 from Los Angeles International Airport to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, was diverted to Salt Lake City International Airport, Air France said in a statement. At about the same time, a second flight, Air France 55, took off from Dulles International Airport outside Washington and was diverted to Halifax on Canada's East Coast, officials say. Passengers got off both planes safely and were taken to terminals.

The FBI has taken over the investigation of the Salt Lake City plane, which was diverted because of a threat received by phone after takeoff, a Salt Lake airport spokeswoman says. In Halifax, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are leading the investigation. RCMP Constable Mark Skinner says there were 262 people on board that plane, which also received an anonymous threat; no further details on that threat were released. "We received a complaint of a bomb threat and we responded to it," he says. "They have to go ... through the plane. I don't think there is any timeline on when that plane might get back in the air." (More Air France stories.)

Get breaking news in your inbox.
What you need to know, as soon as we know it.
Sign up
Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X