UK-bound flight evacuated over bomb threat

A UK Virgin Atlantic passenger plane (File photo)

A UK-bound flight has been evacuated over a “bomb threat” before taking off from an airport in the United Arab Emirates.
All passengers on board the Dubai-London Virgin Atlantic flight were pulled off after security officials said the plane needed to undergo further security checks, the airline confirmed on Tuesday.
A passenger told MailOnline that all of the flight crew rushed to the cockpit before coming back and asking people to disembark.
The incident came less than a day after a deadly bombing attack at US singer Ariana Grande’s concert in the British city of Manchester, where at least 22 people were killed and 59 other were injured.

UK Police forensic officers walk along a bridge linking Victoria station to the Manchester Arena, scene of a terror attack during a pop concert by US star Ariana Grande in Manchester, northwest England, May 23, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

“Following the events in Manchester, Virgin had received a bomb threat so as a precaution they have asked everyone to leave the plane,” a passenger said.
The plane was due to leave Dubai at around 11am local time and land in London’s Heathrow Airport about six hours later.
“This is purely as a precautionary measure as the safety of our customers and crew is our number one priority and we’re planning to have everyone on their way as quickly as possible,” said a Virgin Atlantic spokesman.
The threat was later on deemed as “non-credible,” said the spokesman, adding that the flight would depart Dubai in a short time.
The Manchester attack led to disruptions in public transportation, sending train stations into lockdown after it appeared that the bomber had used the service to get to the arena.
The explosion rocked the place when concertgoers were beginning to leave the arena, which has the capacity to hold 21,000 people, after Grande's closing set, shortly after 10:35 pm (2135 GMT) at the arena. Several children were also among the dead.