Air France flight to New York's JFK escorted after threat: Report

Reuters , Monday 25 May 2015

Air France
An Air France Airbus A380 (Photo:Reuters)

An Air France flight from Paris was escorted by U.S. fighter jets to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport on Monday after an anonymous threat was made against the flight, according to WABC television.

Flight 22 from Charles de Gaulle Airport landed safely, an airport official said.

It was to be taken to a secure area at the New York airport to be searched, according to ABC News.

Citing an unnamed senior U.S. official, ABC News said the Maryland State Police Fusion Center, which handles intelligence gathering, received an anonymous call of a chemical weapons threat on board the plane.

ABC said the threat was not considered credible.

A spokesman said the Maryland State Police was preparing to release a public statement on the incident.

Representatives of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and the FBI, which also were handling the investigation, were not available for comment.

Air France also could not be reached for comment.

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