Police probe security alert on Aer Lingus flight

DUBLIN, Aug 25 (Reuters) Irish police questioned 239 passengers who were on an Aer Lingus flight from New York to Shannon airport in southwest Ireland today after a phone call to police sparked a security alert.

''There was a security alert on board one of our flights from New York to Shannon after gardai (Irish police) received a call at around 4 a.m.,'' a spokeswoman for Irish state airline Aer Lingus said.

The Airbus A-330 aircraft made a normal landing at Shannon airport at 7.45 a.m. and all the passengers were taken off and interviewed by police in the terminal building, she said.

''The passengers have all now been interviewed and reconciled with their baggage,'' the spokeswoman said.

Passengers who were due to travel on to Dublin were being put on a flight due in the Irish capital around 11.20 a.m.

However the security alert had not yet been declared over, she said.

''In terms of the aircraft the security authorities are still onboard.'' REUTERS KR VV1554