Bomb threat to plane at US airport

A passenger in an American Eagle plane on the ground at the Toledo airport in Ohio called authorities today on a mobile phone to report a bomb threat, the authorities said.

The FBI and city fire officials did not know whether the caller was the one making the threat or whether passengers were still on the plane.

The plane was isolated on a runway far from the passenger terminal. Authorities had not determined whether there is a bomb on board, said Scott Wilson, an FBI spokesman in Cleveland, Ohio.

About a dozen fire trucks and emergency vehicles were parked away from the plane on the edge of another runway.

The emergency call from the passenger came in to the sheriff’s department about 10.30am local time (15.30 Irish time), authorities said.

“We have sketchy information. We’re setting up a command post,” acting deputy fire chief Greg Locher said.

Planes were still taking off and landing at their airport.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it was aware of the situation but had no information because the Transportation Security Administration was handling it. Messages seeking comment were left for the TSA.