[Source: The North West Star]

A bomb threat that forced a flight operated by India’s Vistara Airlines to make an emergency landing in Erzurum in eastern Turkey was a false threat, the local governor says.

Turkish officials had said a piece of paper with “Bomb on board” written on it was found in a toilet on the aircraft, prompting bomb disposal teams to search the plane and evacuate its 234 passengers and 13 crew.

A Vistara spokesperson had said a UK 27 flight from Mumbai to Frankfurt diverted on Friday due to “a security concern”.

“As of 23.30, we have completed all search and examination operations. As a result of the work we carried out, we found that the bomb threat was unfounded,” Erzurum Governor Mustafa Ciftci told reporters at the airport.

Ciftci also said a precautionary halt to landings and take-offs at the airport was lifted after inspections were completed.

“All flights coming or leaving from our province will now be able to fly comfortably,” he said.

A new aircraft would arrive from Mumbai at 7.25 am on Saturday to take the passengers to Frankfurt, he said.