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              Air France Flight Diverted to Montreal After Threat

   by Associated Press

   An Air France flight from San Francisco to Paris was diverted to
   Montreal after an unspecified anonymous threat, and the passengers
   landed and disembarked safely before authorities declared it a false
   alarm.

    At least 15 fire trucks and police cars met Flight 83 at the Montreal
   airport, and Canadian authorities verified the aircraft, passengers and
   baggage.

   Air France tweeted Tuesday: "after a full security search, false alert
   confirmed by local authorities following an anonymous threat." Earlier,
   the airline had said the crew decided to divert "as a precautionary
   measure."

   Air France said an investigation will be carried out into the origin of
   the threat, and promised to send passengers safely to their
   destinations. Spokeswoman Ulli Gendrot said all passengers were safely
   off the plane. She would not elaborate on the nature of the threat.

   Airlines around the world face sporadic threats and occasionally divert
   planes as a result.

   Tensions are unusually high in France, which has been in a state of
   emergency since Islamic extremist suicide bombings and shootings in
   Paris on Nov. 13 that killed 130 people, the deadliest attacks on
   French soil in decades.

   Passenger Gilles Raymond of San Francisco said after about five hours
   in the air, the pilot made an announcement that they needed to land in
   Montreal for technical reasons. He said once the plane had landed, the
   pilot said authorities would have to do a thorough security check of
   the plane and passengers and that everyone would have to disembark.

   "Everyone is pretty relaxed," Raymond said while still inside. "There
   was no panic, no stress. Everyone is waiting in their seats. Some
   people are sleeping, and some are checking their phones or eating ice
   cream that the flight attendants gave them."

   He said passengers spent at least an hour on board the plane during
   verifications.

   "They told us they will check every passenger and that we may spend the
   night here," Raymond said.
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References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/air-france-flight-diverted-to-montreal-after-threat/3093165.html