One plane over Italy ordered back to Athens, another grounded after intel report cited ‘suspicious’ passenger on board

One Emirates airliner set to take off from Athens for Dubai on Thursday remained grounded at the Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport while another airborne aircraft, of the same carrier but with another destination, was forced to return to the Greek airport after intelligence reports cited a “suspicious” passenger on board.

According to initial reports out of the Greek capital, the US CIA informed Greek authorities of a “suspicious” foreign national, of Arab descent, possibly on board one of the two planes.

The second plane in the air, in fact, was escorted back to the Athens international airport by a pair of Hellenic Air Force fighter planes. A Greek Police anti-terrorist squad and a K-9 unit subsequently searched the plane and passengers.

Earlier, Flight EK210, a Boeing 777 headed for Dubai, was ordered back to the terminal in Athens while taxiing for take-off.
A second plane servicing the EK 209 route to NYC was ordered back to Athens while flying over Italy, as Italian and French authorities declined allowing the aircraft to land on their territory.

Passengers aboard both jetliners were subsequently re-screened and checked.