Flight from New York evacuated after threat

A flight headed to Dublin from New York was evacuated this morning following a threat against the aircraft, airport authorities said.

Aer Lingus flight 112 was evacuated during a scheduled stop at Shannon airport after a police station in Dublin received a threat against the aircraft, said airport spokesman Eugene Pratt.

The threat "referred to some explosives aboard that specific flight," Pratt said.

All of the luggage was taken off the flight, checked and cleared. No trace of explosives was found in the initial search, said Gillian Culhane, an Aer Lingus spokeswoman in Dublin.

The passengers who were headed on to Dublin were cleared to continue their flight.

"The security authorities are still on board the aircraft, but the passengers have been interviewed, they have been reconciled with their baggage,'' Culhane said.

A total of 239 passengers were on board the Aer Lingus flight.

Airlines and airports have heightened security, after British police announced they had uncovered a plot to blow up several U.S.-bound commercial jetliners.

Earlier this week, Dutch police escorted a Northwest Airlines flight bound for India back Amsterdam's international airport after the pilot radioed for help. Police arrested 12 passengers, but officials said the incident was not terrorism-related.

Last week, a British plane made an emergency landing in southern Italy after a bomb scare, and the U.S. Air Force scrambled jets to escort a United Airlines flight from London to Washington as it was diverted to Boston.

With files from The Associated Press
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