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Alitalia Flight AZ604 arrived at JFK International Airport in New York City from Milan to a Port Authority Police Department (PAPD) welcoming committee after a bomb threat was received, WABC-TV New York reported.
PAPD officers surrounded the jet on the tarmac after landing. In the cabin, passenger Maxim Sorin told WABC-TV that the captain announced the police were going to board and do a safety check. Sorin then said he was put aboard a Port Authority bus for an hour and a half. While there, he saw the luggage removed from the plane, then put back on. During this time, individuals in hazmat suits were seen boarding the aircraft.
In a statement, Alitalia stated, "On Sunday June 14, Alitalia has been informed by the TSA of a bomb threat on its flight AZ604 Milan Malpensa-New York JFK. Emergency procedures have been put in place. The flight safely landed in JFK at 4:08 p.m. local time. All passengers disembarked without any problem."
Just before 6 p.m. the plane began boarding passengers for a trip to Rome as Flight 603.
Since the bomb threat was called on an international flight, the Port Authority said Customs and Borders protection is in charge of the investigation. No details were provided as to the details of the threat, but since the airport returned to business as usual relatively quickly, it appears to have been a hoax.
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