Bomb Scare Diverts British Jet

A British passenger plane to Egypt diverted to a southern Italian airport Friday after the pilot reported that a bomb was suspected to be on board, Italian aviation officials said.

No bomb was found, but officials searching the plane did find a handwritten note in English that said there was a bomb on the plane, Salvatore De Paolis, a spokesman for border police at the airport, told SKY TG 24 television news.

The Excel Airways Boeing 767 requested an emergency landing in Brindisi Friday because of what was described as a suspected bomb, the Italian air traffic agency ENAV said.

All 280 passengers disembarked and were safe, state police at the airport said.

The plane was flying from London's Gatwick airport to Hurghada, Egypt, ENAV said.

Italy's Air Force said it had sent an F-16 to intercept the plane before it landed.

Excel Airways is a holiday and charter airline whose hub is London's Gatwick airport. Its main destinations are in Spain and Portugal.