Singapore police say plane threat a hoax, passenger arrested

SINGAPORE - Two Singapore fighter jets escorted a civilian plane bound for Thailand safely back to the city-state on Thursday after a bomb threat by a passenger that police said was a hoax.

Three passengers were assisting police with their investigations, they said, adding one of them, a 41-year-old man, had been arrested for making a false bomb threat.

Scoot, the budget carrier of Singapore Airlines, said Flight TR634, an Airbus A320 carrying 173 passengers and six crew, would resume its journey to Hat Yai, in southern Thailand, in the evening.

Singapore's defence minister said in a Facebook post that two F-15SG fighter jets had escorted the plane from the South China Sea back to Changi airport.

"For our RSAF pilots who are on stand-by duties 24/7, every threat is considered real until proven otherwise," said Ng Eng Hen.