TOKONAME, Aichi Prefecture - A budget carrier operated by Jetstar Japan made an emergency landing near here after receiving a bomb threat. Five people were hurt on the emergency exit slide.
501 was enroute to Fukuoka Airport in Kyushu from Narita International Airport outside Tokyo when it made the unscheduled landing around 7: 40 a.m. at Chubu Airport on January 7.
According to company and transport ministry officials, the aircraft carried 136 passengers and six crew members.
Everyone escaped via the emergency exit slide. Five people received minor injuries but were not serious enough to require hospitalization.
Aichi prefectural police dispatched a bomb squad unit to search for suspicious items on board the aircraft, but nothing was found in the passenger cabin. A search was made of the cargo hold.
The pilot was ordered by Narita International Airport Corp. to immediately change course at 7: 18 a.m., leading to the landing at Chubu Airport about 20 minutes later, officials said.
The runway at Chubu Airport was closed because of the emergency landing. Airport operations resumed at 12: 15 p.m.
A total of 39 flights had been canceled and four of them had a change of destination by 1: 30 p.m.
The emergency landing moments later, according to several passengers, was made by the pilot about an hour after leaving Narita and an unspecified problem with the aircraft.
After landing, the pilot announced that a bomb might have been planted on the plane and ordered everyone to use the emergency exit slide. There was no panic on board the plane, although many passengers were clearly stunned by the announcement.
After exiting the plane, all passengers and crew walked to the terminal building where they waited for the resumption of flight operations.
The departure lobby at Chubu Airport was packed with passengers and their luggage because of the fact that Jan. 7 was the start of a three-day weekend.