Passengers on board a Ryanair flight were ordered to stay on board after a bomb threat was made in mid-air.

The plane, which had taken off from Faro in Portugal, landed at Brussels South Charleroi Airport in Belgium and was isolated in one section of the airport with a security cordon of 500m all round it. Police ordered that all 166 passengers stay onboard while checks were carried out. The incident has now been stood down.

A bomb threat was made to a Ryanair plane | Getty Images

The security cordon meant that the runway and a nearby main road were closed, but the airport terminal remained open.

A Ryanair spokesman said: “Ryanair was informed of a security threat on flight FR6313 from Faro to Brussels Charleroi today. The aircraft landed normally at Charleroi as planned. Passengers have been disembarked and the aircraft is being prepared for return to service. We sincerely apologise to any passengers affected.”

Nathalie Pierard, a spokesperson for the airport, told The Brussels Times earlier today: “The terminal is not being evacuated for now, as it does not fall within the 500-metre perimeter. The police are on the scene and the 166 passengers will be evacuated from the plane once approved by the police. It is currently unclear how long the disruption will last."

A statement from the airport said: “This Tuesday morning, shortly before 11am, a bomb threat was triggered on board a plane that landed at Charleroi airport. A security perimeter was set up around the aircraft, necessitating the closure of the runway and therefore the interruption of operations.

"The relevant authorities have taken over. We will keep you informed of further developments."

Ryanair bomb threat: Plane isolated at Charleroi Airport in Brussels after mid-air warning

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