Bomb threat diverts plane of hajj pilgrims in Indonesia, second in days

JAKARTA: A plane carrying hundreds of hajj pilgrims back to Indonesia from the Middle East was diverted Saturday after a bomb threat, the transport ministry and police said, the second such incident in a week.

Saudia Airlines flight SV5688 had flown from the Saudi city of Jeddah to the Omani capital Muscat before travelling on to Indonesia where it was due to land in Surabaya, a city on the main island Java.

But air traffic control officers in the Indonesian capital Jakarta received a call about a bomb threat for the flight, prompting its diversion to Kualanamu International Airport in Medan city Saturday morning, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said.

Regional airport authority head Asri Santosa said in a statement officers were checking the plane after its arrival but the airport on Sumatra island remained operational.

All 376 passengers, hajj pilgrims from Java, and 13 crew members were safe at the airport, North Sumatra police spokesman Ferry Walintukan told AFP.

He said a bomb squad was deployed to sweep the aircraft.

The passengers are due to resume their journey on Sunday, said Asri.

On Tuesday a plane carrying 442 hajj pilgrims back from Saudi Arabia to Jakarta was also diverted to Medan after an email bomb threat was sent to authorities.