Greek police search Ryanair passenger plane over bomb threat

Passengers of a Ryanair plane ride on a bus, after their flight landed at Athens' International Eleftherios Venizelos airport, following a bomb threat in midair, on the outskirts of Athens, Greece, January 22, 2023. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis

Police on Sunday were searching a Ryanair passenger plane that landed at Athens International Airport for any suspicious items after receiving an alert for a bomb threat, police officials said.

The pilot of the Boeing 737 aircraft, with about 190 passengers and crew on board, had earlier alerted authorities over a possible explosive device on board, one of the officials said.

The plane, which was flying from Katowice in Poland to Greece arrived in Athens escorted by two fighter jets at 5:35 p.m. (1535 GMT). Firefighting engines were on standby as it landed.

Passengers of a Ryanair plane board a bus on the runway, after their flight landed at Athens' International Eleftherios Venizelos airport, following a bomb threat in midair, on the outskirts of Athens, Greece, January 22, 2023. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis

Police were later searching passengers as they were disembarking and their luggage was lined up outside the aircraft.

(Reporting by Renee Maltezou and Alkis Konstantinidis; Editing by Frances Kerry)