Swiss media report that the local air force escorted an El-Al plane after receiving notice of a bomb threat aboard the jet. The flight was traveling from New York to Tel Aviv.
It is believed that French authorities informed Switzerland of the threat, after which two Swiss fighter jets were dispatched to accompany the plane from the French border until it left Swiss airspace.
The Israeli Foreign Minister released a statement noting: “A few minutes ago an incident was reported in which an El Al passenger plane was allegedly intercepted over Switzerland. Of course, the report was inaccurate. The plane is fine and on its way to Israel.
“After checking with El Al, the situation is thus: US air traffic authorities received an anonymous message about an explosive in the plane’s cargo hold.
The Americans updated the Swiss authorities (when the plane entered Swiss airspace) and the latter scrambled fighter jets to escort the plane.
An investigation confirmed that the plane is ‘clean’ and it is continuing on its planned flight path.”
לי תקשורת בשוויץ מדווחים כי חיל האוויר של המדינה ליווה מטוס אל-על שהיה בדרכו מניו יורק לתל אביב – בגבול בין צרפת לשוויץ, בשל איום שהתקבל על פצצה במטוס.
בעקבות התראה שהגיעה ככל הנראה מהרשויות בצרפת, שני מטוסי קרב שוויצריים ליוו את המטוס עד ליציאתו מהמרחב האווירי. בשעה זו הטיסה ממשיכה בדרכה לנתב”ג.
Swiss Air Force F-18 fighter jets were scrambled on Tuesday to accompany an El Al flight due to a bomb threat.
The flight from New York to Tel Aviv was over the Swiss-French border when the jets were scrambled.
Once the El Al plane passed out of Swiss territory, the jets returned to their bases and the plane continued on its way to Tel Aviv.
According to Israeli media reports, an anonymous bomb threat prompted Swiss authorities to send the F-18 jets to accompany the El Al flight.
Last month, security personnel from El Al acted against a person they viewed as suspicious at the Athens International Airport in Greece.
The man in question had been walking in the area with a large backpack that aroused the suspicion of the security guards.
After the man failed to heed to the guards’ several calls, they acted to overcome him.