EgyptAir flight forced to land in Uzbekistan

Moscow, June 8: An EgyptAir flight en route from Cairo to Beijing was forced to make an emergency landing in the Uzbek city of Urgench due to a bomb threat on Wednesday, Uzbekistan Airways said in a statement.

The plane, carrying 118 passengers and 17 crew members, landed in Urgench at 8 a.m. local time after receiving information about the possible presence of a bomb on board, according to the airline.

All the passengers and crew members were evacuated from the craft, which was parked in an isolated spot for examination by authorities, Efe news reported.

An anonymous caller had told Egyptian authorities that an explosive device had been planted in the plane, an EgyptAir source added.

A search is underway to determine the suspected bomb's presence.

IANS