A Turkish passenger jet has been diverted to Ireland while flying over the Atlantic after a bomb threat.
The aircraft landed at Shannon airport at about 11.20am on Sunday, after a note containing the threat of a bomb on the plane was found onboard.
Turkish Airlines flight TK-34 had left Houston, Texas, at 9.07pm local time on Saturday and was due in Istanbul at about 3.45pm Irish time on Sunday. There were 227 passengers and crew on board the Boeing 777-300.
While the plane was still two hours away from Ireland’s south-west coast, an emergency plan was put into operation at Shannon airport. Fire brigade units from Shannon and Ennis were dispatched as a back-up for the airport’s own fire and rescue service.
Ambulances from Ennis and Limerick were deployed alongside the Garda, Ireland’s national police force. The Irish coastguard was also alerted and a lifeboat was put on standby until the flight had safely crossed the coast.
After landing, the jet was taken to a remote taxiway and the passengers were taken to the terminal by bus. The jet is due to remain parked until its scheduled flight time has elapsed. Authorities will then search the aircraft for any evidence of explosives.
The note with the alleged bomb threat is understood to have been taken as evidence by the Irish police. The handwriting is expected to be compared with samples taken from passengers.
