EgyptAir plane resumes flight after bomb threat

An EgyptAir passenger plane from Cairo to Beijing that was forced to make an emergency landing Wednesday due to a bomb threat resumed its flight to China, USA Today reports.

“Based on the company’s commitment to ensure the safety of its passengers and in accordance with the established rules, the pilot was notified via satellite phone and ordered to land at the nearest airport,” EgyptAir said in a statement.

The plane landed in Uzbekistan three hours after taking off from the Egyptian capital after an anonymous caller phoned security at the Cairo airport and said a bomb was on the plane, the AP reported, citing Egyptian officials.

“The Uzbek authorities took appropriate security measures and verified that the tip was false. Measures are being taken to continue the flight to Beijing,” the ministry said.

It said the security agents contacted the aircraft and ordered it to land at the nearest airport. Officials said all the 135 passengers and crew were evacuated from the Airbus A-330-220 and the plane was searched. No bomb was found.

The incident comes weeks after an EgyptAir plane traveling from Paris to Cairo crashed in the Mediterranean Sea on May 19, killing all 66 people aboard. The search continues for the black boxes.