Singapore Airlines flight bomb threat verified to be false

Singapore's Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) announced on Wednesday that a bomb threat on Singapore Airlines flight SQ33 from San Francisco has been verified to be false.

The MINDEF said in a social media post that earlier this morning, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) was informed of the bomb threat, reports Xinhua news agency.

Preliminary investigations indicate that a 37-year-old male passenger had allegedly claimed that there was a bomb in a carry bag, and had assaulted the crew.

The Singapore Armed Forces and SPF were mobilized immediately, said the Defence Ministry.

The air force's F-16C/Ds escorted the aircraft to safety at Changi Airport, and teams from The Singapore Army's Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Explosives Defence Group and Airport Police Division were on site to verify the claims.

The threat was subsequently verified to be false, and the suspect has been arrested, said the MINDEF, adding that police investigations are ongoing.