Air France flight diverted after suspicious item found

An Air France flight made an emergency landing early Sunday in Kenya after a suspicious device was found in the plane’s bathroom.

The Boeing 777, which had 473 people on board, was heading to Paris from Mauritius when a passenger discovered the item in the bathroom, according to Kenyan police. The passenger alerted the crew who then notified the captain.

Air France said the crew decided to land in Kenya as a precaution.

The plane made an emergency landing at Moi International Airport in Mombasa, Kenya, and the passengers were safely evacuated, said Kenyan police, who added that bomb experts retrieved the suspicious item and were examining it to see if it contained explosives.

Officials with the Kenyan Interior Ministry and Defence Ministry said the passengers and crew were evacuated to hotels with a number of the passengers being questioned.

The officials also said the plane was removed from the runway and investigators “are in liaison” with officials in Mauritius and France.

Kenya airports said normal operations have resumed at Moi International Airport following service disruptions due to the incident.