Air France bomb hoax caused emergency landing and evacuation

An Air France Boeing 777 en route from Mauritius to Paris was evacuated at Mombasa airport, Kenya, after a suspicious device was found in the plane’s toilets. Air France Chief Frederic Gagey said the fake bomb device was a cardboard box, paper and a timer and described the fake bomb placement as an “extremely aggressive act”.

All 459 passengers and 14 crew members that had left Mauritius at 1 a.m. to fly directly to the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris were evacuated. Several passengers were questioned by the Kenyan police and four are being held. Charges will be pressed against those responsible and an inquiry is to be held.