Ryanair plane grounded in Poland after bomb threat 'hoax'

Ryanair said the plane was grounded while they inspected it for explosive material

A Ryanair passenger jet has been grounded at Warsaw's Modlin airport after a hoax bomb threat.

A 48-year-old man was arrested after the call was traced to his home, Polish police said.

Officials closed the airport to inbound flights while they inspected the plane, Ryanair said in a statement, but decided the call was a hoax.

The airline said it expected to release the aircraft - which was due to fly to Oslo - and reopen the airport shortly.

"This was an irresponsible prank," Mariusz Mrozek, a police spokesman, told Polish broadcaster TVN24.

The flight landed on Thursday morning at Modlin - a small, auxiliary airport in Warsaw used only by Ryanair - from Oslo and was due to return to Norway later in the day.

A spokesman for the Ryanair said: "Warsaw Modlin Airport received an anonymous call that there was an explosive device on a Ryanair aircraft due to take off from Modlin to Oslo at 08.40hrs local.

"The airport security authorities ordered an immediate inspection of the aircraft (which hadn't yet boarded) and closed the airport to inbound arrivals as a security precaution.

"Warsaw Modlin believes this is a hoax call and expects the security sweep to confirm this fact.

"They expect to release the aircraft and reopen the airport shortly. Ryanair sincerely apologises to the customers of the outbound Oslo flight for any inconvenience caused by this hoax call."