Bomb alert on aircraft was hoax

After a detailed search of the plane the alert was called a hoax

The bomb threat that forced an aircraft from Hong Kong to divert to Stansted Airport was a hoax, police confirm.

A Virgin Atlantic Airbus A340, bound for Heathrow with 214 passengers and 18 crew on board, landed at the Essex Airport in the early hours of Thursday.

An unnamed British police force received a telephone call warning of a bomb on board the flight.

Specialist teams carried out a detailed search of the aircraft after which Essex Police said it had been a hoax.

We never treat threats of this nature as routine... we take it seriously and we have tried and tested procedures to deal with it Chief Supt Sue Harrison

Chief Supt Sue Harrison said: "Essex Police are now satisfied that the incident was a hoax."

Passengers were questioned by police before being transported to Heathrow Airport by bus.

Ms Harrison said: "We never treat threats of this nature as routine. We take it seriously and we have tried and tested procedures to deal with it.

"We do not want people to make hoax calls. They need to be dealt with firmly and brought before the courts."