JFK Flight to Russia Diverted After Bomb Threat

An anonymous caller told authorities at JFK there was a bomb on board the flight

A passenger jet carrying 256 people from New York to Moscow was diverted to Iceland Thursday after an anonymous caller told authorities at John F. Kennedy International Airport a bomb was on board that would explode once the flight landed in Russia, authorities said.

The call to JFK authorities came in at about 10 p.m. Wednesday, shortly after the Airbus A330 departed from the Queens airport. The caller claimed five suitcases aboard the plane contained bombs, though the precise language of the threat was unknown.

It was not clear whether the call came from the plane or from elsewhere.

The plane landed at Iceland's Keflavik international airport without incident early Thursday. Reykjavik police told NBC News the plane was evacuated upon landing and all passengers and baggage were being inspected, which is procedure in such cases.

The passengers were then bused to a nearby hotel while authorities searched the plane. Investigators are continuing to search the aircraft and its cargo. Nothing has been found that has raised concern, authorities said.

It wasn't immediately clear when the passengers would board a new flight.

The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating.

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