Turkish Airlines plane in Istanbul evacuated after bomb threat

Home Top

The changing face of La Dolce Vita: Evocative photographs capture Italy's dramatic development over the last 50 years
A purrfect river cruise! Meet cat captain 'Sailor', who is proving to be a top tourist attraction (along with his feline apprentice)
How posting a holiday selfie could result in BURGLARY: Social media snaps make it easier for thieves to target empty homes
How a third of Brits waste two days of their holiday worrying about their jobs and can't relax until they've checked work emails
The last days of feudal Japan: Incredible time-capsule images show gentle pace of life before the leap into the modern age
Human waste in pillowcases, strangers spooning in the night and full frontal flashing in elevators: Backpackers reveal their most shocking moments in hostels
Planting wooden penises and a nation-wide shut-down to watch Donald Duck: Locals reveal 'normal' conventions in their home countries that tourists find bizarre
Seconds from disaster: Pilots of Lufthansa passenger plane forced to dodge THREE drones after 'lucky' spot during landing
British visits to Tunisia plummet by 90% after 2015 terror attacks
World's longest railway tunnel to open after 17 years of construction: Trains in Switzerland will travel at 155mph through 35 miles of mountain thanks to €10.6billion project
What could possibly go wrong? China unveils elevated bus that drives over the TOP of other cars
The £13,000 Glastonbury experience: The swanky options available to loaded glampers at the music festival's Pop Up Hotel
Cowboy training, Grand Canyon hiking and riding a hot air balloon across the desert: Why Scottsdale in Arizona is a mecca for action-packed holidays
Turkish Airlines plane with 134 people on board evacuated after bomb threat found on note in cabin
EgyptAir crash has brought Sharm el-Sheikh 'to its knees' with hotel rooms costing hundreds slashed to as little as £18
Stag party of 24 kicked off easyJet flight from Glasgow to Magaluf after its 'disruptive behaviour' forces pilot to divert to France
Passenger plane diverts after 'screaming' man attempts to light a cigarette and open aircraft door at 36,000ft
Naked sleepwalker found in Manchester city centre at 4am by police - who returned him to his hotel after posing for a selfie
The magic isn't over! Disney World honors woman's unused ticket from 1994... when she was just FOUR
Ryanair says it will cut fares further as profits surge despite terror attack fears among travellers
From playing 'Words With Friends' to having trousers that are 'too low': The strangest reasons passengers (including famous ones) have been kicked off flights
Couple 'devastated' after spending £6.5K on dream holiday to find 'refurbished' resort resembling a building site
Jetstar fined $12,000 after allowing a passenger to fly back to the country he had been deported from (despite THREE warnings not to let him board)
It's time to launch your own D-Day! Packed with historic appeal, why Caen is the perfect destination for a first-time car ferry traveller

Flight was setting out from Ataturk Airport to the Turkish city of Kayseri
Bomb threat later found to be a hoax, and another plane flew people out
Threat comes as Turkey battles Isis in Syria and Iraq and Kurdish militants

By John Hutchinson for MailOnline and Reuters

Published: 09:44 EST, 23 May 2016 | Updated: 09:59 EST, 24 May 2016

View
comments

A Turkish Airlines aircraft at Istanbul's main airport was evacuated and searchedafter a note threatening a bomb attack was found on board.

All 134 people, including the crew, who had been on boardthe flight from Ataturk Airport to the central Turkish city of Kayseri had been evacuated, a spokesman said.

Another planewas later arranged for them yesterday (Monday), and the bomb threat was later revealed to be a hoax.

A Turkish Airlines plane was evacuated and searched yesterday (Monday) after a note containing a bomb threat was found on board (file photo)

MailOnline has contacted Turkish Airlines for comment.

Earlier this year a Turkish Airlines flight was diverted to Shannon airport in Ireland where it made an emergency landing after officials discovered a handwritten bomb threat.

The Istanbul-bound Boeing 777, which was carrying 209 passengers, landed safely at Shannon at around 11am on Saturday, January 23.

The diversion came after a handwritten note containing a 'bomb threat' was found on board and all passengers were allegedly told to search their own bags.

All the passengers, including two infants, disembarked safely and were moved to a secure part of the airport while officials swept the plane.

All 134 people, including the crew, who had been on board the flight from Ataturk Airport (pictured) to the central Turkish city of Kayseri had been evacuated

A spokesman for Turkish Airlines said the Boeing 777 was found to have no explosive devices on board and the flight took off to Istanbul.

Turkey has suffered a series of suicide bombings in itscities this year, including two attacks in tourist areas ofIstanbul blamed on Islamic State and two car bombings in thecapital, Ankara, which were claimed by a Kurdish militant group.

Last year an offshoot of the militant Kurdistan WorkersParty (PKK) claimed responsibility for a mortar attack atIstanbul's second airport that killed one airport cleaner andinjured another.

A Nato member and a candidate to join the European Union,Turkey is participating in the U.S.-led coalition fightingIslamic State in Syria and Iraq, and also battling a militantinsurgency in its largely Kurdish southeast region.