Hoax bomb threats target Chinese flights

BEIJING, May 15:  Three Chinese airlines were today targeted by false bomb threats, officials said.

Five flights operated by China Eastern Airlines, Juneyao Airlines and Shenzhen Airlines were affected, they said.

Juneyao Airlines received a threatening call and arranged for flight HO1111 departing from Shanghai to return to the city so that the plane could be checked.

Police found that there was no danger posed to the craft, state-run Xinhua news agency reported quoting the airline.

The flight took off using another plane after all passengers and luggage passed a safety screening, it said.

China Eastern Airlines flight MU2325 from Lanzhou to Xi’an was also safely cleared after the airline received a similar threat.

Shenzhen Airlines received multiple threats, with flight ZH9866 departing from Nanjing returning to the city after taking off.

Flight ZH9243 departing from Xi’an was forced to land in the city of Guilin, while flight ZH9889 departing from Beijing was delayed, the report said. (PTI)