An El Al Israeli passenger plane from New York landed safely in Tel Aviv today, after a bomb alarm turned out to be false, a spokesperson said today.

French authorities had alerted the Swiss Air Force in the morning, an Air Force spokesperson said.

Swiss and Austrian Air Force jets scrambled to accompany the Boeing 747 as it flew over the two countries, according to military spokespersons in both countries.

The Swiss jets established visual contact with the pilot, Skyguide spokesperson Vladi Barrosa told dpa. Skyguide is the company that monitors Swiss airspace.

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson Emmanuel Nahshon said US airport authorities received an anonymous message and alerted the Swiss authorities as the plane entered Swiss airspace.

A check showed that the plane was “clean,” he said.

- dpa