NY-Bound Jet Returns to Beijing After Threat

A security threat yesterday prompted an Air China jet seven hours into its flight to New York to return to Beijing, officials revealed. "Due to threatening information received about flight CA 981, to ensure the safety of passengers, this flight has returned to Beijing Capital International Airport," the Chinese airline said in a statement on its website. No details about the threat were provided, but state media said the initial warning came from US authorities, reports CNN.

Police checked out the plane but found nothing suspicious, according to the airline. The Boeing 747 aircraft seats up to 344 passengers. The flight was to take off again, and scheduled to land at JFK airport at midday. (More Beijing stories.)