Plane diverted to Ankara after bomb warning-Turk TV

ANKARA, June 20 (Reuters) A plane travelling to Istanbul from Diyarbakir in southeast Turkey was diverted today to the capital Ankara after receiving a bomb warning, CNN Turk private television reported.

Security officials at Ankara airport said they were aware of an incident involving an aircraft belonging to private company Onur Air, but said the plane did not appear to be heading to Ankara.

CNN Turk later reported the plane was expected to land in Istanbul, not Ankara.

No further information was immediately available.

Turkish authorities are on increased alert following an increase in attacks by Kurdish separatist guerrillas in southeast Turkey. Diyarbakir is the largest city in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast region.

In April, a Turkish man hijacked a commercial passenger plane belonging to Pegasus Airlines also flying from Diyarbakir to Istanbul, diverting it to Ankara.

The hijacker, who had a drug-related criminal record, later gave himself up to authorities.

Reuters AK DS1425