Plane clear to leave US after 'bomb hoax'

A THAI Airways plane was cleared yesterday to leave Los Angeles airport and return to Bangkok following a bomb hoax on a flight carrying nearly 200 people, the airline said.

The threat sparked a security alert in the US, which is particularly tense in the days before the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The aircraft "that landed safely following a bomb hoax at Los Angeles International Airport has been released by US federal authorities for its return flight to Bangkok", Thai Airways said in a statement. It said the departure of flight TG795 would be delayed by two hours following the US investigation, which included a bomb squad search of the aircraft in a remote part of the airport.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had earlier said no credible threat was found on board the plane after a written threat saying there was a bomb on board was found in a lavatory.AFP