A police search concluded there was no threat to a Greek airliner forced to make an emergency landing in Britain after a bomb alert.
Police searched the Airbus A340 airliner and the luggage of some 300 passengers for six hours after the Olympic Airlines plane landed with a fighter jet escort at Stansted airport north of London yesterday afternoon.
But police found no evidence of a bomb, and the airliner will continue its journey from Athens to New York.
"The plane has now been thoroughly searched and police are satisfied there is no threat to safety," said a police spokeswoman. "The aircraft will be refuelled and prepared for its onward flight."
Police said that "well rehearsed procedures" were followed after an anonymous call to a Greek newspaper said there was a bomb on board Olympic Airlines flight 411 from Athens to New York's JFK Airport. Greek authorities immediately notified the pilot of the call, and he asked for a military escort
Passengers and crew were evacuated within 20 minutes of the flight landing in Stansted. They spent the night at an airport hotel.
PA