Vietnam Airlines plane returns to gate after bomb threat

HANOI, Vietnam – A Vietnam Airlines flight was delayed for two hours in Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport this afternoon after a passenger, who was a crime suspect being extradited, claimed there was a bomb on the plane.

According to a statement from the national flag carrier on Monday, the incident took place on the VN253 flight from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, which was scheduled for take-off at 2.55 p.m. local time.

The crew had been informed in advanced about the crime suspect who was placed on the flight for extradition. The suspect was accompanied by two security agents, according to the carrier.

After the cabin door was closed and the plane pushed back from the gate, the suspect suddenly got out of his seat and claimed there was a bomb on the plane, the statement said.

The accompanying agents and flight attendants managed to overpower the suspect and asked for support from airport security.

The plane returned to gate for the suspect to be offloaded.

The statement did not clarify either who the suspect was or where he or she would be extradited to.

The flight resumed at 4.55 p.m. local time, two hours later than scheduled after airport security checked the plane and cleared the bomb threat.