Three flyers arrested at Heathrow for bomb threats (Second Lead)

LONDON - Three passengers aboard a Dubai-bound Emirates airliner were arrested for allegedly threatening to blow up the plane at Heathrow airport Friday, police said.

The men, aged 58, 48 and 36, were taken into custody for making verbal threats against the crew of flight EK004 before take-off, police said in a statement.

“A verbal threat was made to staff. Police were alerted and armed officers boarded the plane.

“They have been arrested on suspicion of making a bomb threat,” the statement said.

“Police are searching the aircraft and all passengers have alighted from the plane,” police added.

Witnesses told Sky Television News that armed police with sniffer dogs entered the flight, a Boeing-777 jet with 330 passengers, which had been due for a take off at 8 p.m., and swiftly arrested the men.

“Police just swarmed the guy and rushed him out. I think he was a white male. There was another one but I didn’t see him,” Cameron McLean, a passenger, said.

Other flights at the airport were unaffected.