Student Calls Airline With False Bomb Threat To Stop Parents From Visiting

An EasyJet flight, carrying 159 passengers from Lyon to Rennes in France was diverted back last Friday, after a student made a bomb threat call to stop his parents from visiting him.

Police identified the suspect as a 23-year-old and took him into custody. He was charged with “false news compromising the safety of an aircraft in flight.”

Public prosecutor of Rennes said, “The author of the facts has been identified. It is a student in Rennes who is 23 years old. He did not wish that his parents, who were on-board this plane to join him in Rennes,” Air Live reported.

The man, whose name was not revealed, could face five years of imprisonment and a fine of €75,000 ($84,903) if found guilty, Independent reported.

A spokesperson for the airline confirmed that flight EZY4319 was diverted due to security issues.

“EasyJet can confirm that Flight EZY4319 from Lyon to Rennes on 18 January returned to Lyon as a result of a security related issue. The captain took the decision as a precaution only. The aircraft landed safely and was met by the fire brigade and the police in line with procedures. Passengers disembarked normally and were provided with information and refreshments. The safety and wellbeing of our passengers and crew is EasyJet’s highest priority,” the spokesperson said.

The man is in custody and will appear in court in May.

In a similar incident, a bomb threat on Twitter delayed a Delta flight out of Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport on Wednesday. Atlanta police department officials searched the flight and found it was safe and that the person who made the threat was not on the plane. The FBI is currently investigating the incident.

“Atlanta Police were informed of a bomb threat to an inbound flight made over Twitter. After the plane landed, officers completed a search of the plane and were unable to locate any hazardous items or packages. It appears that the person who made the threats was not on the plane at the time of its arrival to Atlanta. Normal operations were later restored,” a spokesperson for the city’s police department said, The Points Guy reported.

In another similar incident last month, passengers aboard a Jet2 flight were held at Prague Airport after a “mid-air bomb threat.” Police swooped on the plane and travelers were informed that a “threatening note” was found on the aircraft. The flight was grounded for over four hours and police finally found a drawing of a bomb inside the toilet, after a thorough search.

"Bomb threat on the plane as soon as we landed in Prague. Air hostess sounding terrified on the tannoy telling everyone to leave everything and exit the plane as quick as possible. Five hours later we finally got our luggage and can leave the airport,” a passenger said, Fox News reported.