New | Hong Kong Airlines flight forced to make emergency landing after bomb threat

A Hong Kong Airlines flight bound to Hong Kong from Beijing on Tuesday was forced to make an emergency landing in Wuhan airport after a report that there could be a bomb on board.

The incident coincides with ongoing sessions of the National People’s Congress in Beijing.

The flight HX337, departing Beijing at about 12.08pm, landed in Wuhan about 180 minutes into the journey, a duty officer at Wuhan Tianhe Airport said, without specifying the reasons.

A statement from Hong Kong Airlines said it had been “notified of a suspected bomb threat on board” but did not give further details.

“In order to ensure the safety and security of the passenger and crew, the captain decided to divert the flight to Wuhan Tianhe International Airport … All 295 passengers and crew members of the flight have since safely disembarked.”