BOMB THREAT DIVERTS HEATHROW FLIGHT, CLOSES WARSAW AIRPORT

A LOT Polish Airlines flight from London Heathrow to Warsaw was diverted after a bomb threat was reported on board, Warsaw Modlin Airport said. The aircraft, a Boeing 737 MAX operating flight LO286, had been due to land at Warsaw Chopin Airport but was redirected to Modlin Airport instead. Modlin Airport said the threat was reported at 9.54am and that the aircraft landed there at 10.01am. There were 181 people on board, the airport said. Modlin Airport was closed "until further notice" as a result. Emergency crews were sent to the airport and bomb disposal experts boarded the aircraft to assess the threat.

The aircraft was directed to a designated area to await instructions from officials, including explosive ordnance disposal teams, Modlin Airport said. Passengers began disembarking and were taken to wait in the airport's arrivals hall, with "further procedures" being carried out in accordance with safety procedures, the airport said. Emergency services worked to verify the reported threat, and the airport said the safety of passengers, crew and airport staff was its top priority. LOT Polish Airlines said it had been notified by airport authorities "of a potential security threat on board a Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft operating flight LO286 from London to Warsaw."

Modlin Airport resumed operations shortly before midday local time, around 11am GMT, after being closed for the best part of two hours. The airport said it would continue to issue updates on any developments and on the resumption of flight operations. The alert formed one of two bomb threat warnings reported on flights to Poland. It came a day after a fighter jet escorted a Wizz Air flight from London.