Taiwan warns of possible bomb aboard flight

Hong Kong authorities and two airlines said on Friday they had received a warning from Taiwan officials regarding a possible bomb aboard a Cathay Pacific or Dragonair flight arriving from the mainland over the next two days.

The warning comes amid heightened security concerns in China following recent suicide bombings and stabbings.

"We are aware of a threat with reference to our flights from the mainland to Hong Kong as shared by the Taiwan authorities," a spokesperson for Cathay Pacific, and its unit Dragonair, said in an e-mailed statement to Reuters.

"We will continue to work closely with the relevant authorities and have reminded our frontline teams to remain vigilant as usual."

The Hong Kong Airport authority said flight operations were normal on Friday. Spokespersons for the authority, as well as the aeronautics administration of Taiwan and budget carrier HK Express all confirmed the warning and said they were taking steps to maintain the safety of their passengers.

The warning apparently involves a woman who may be planning to board a Dragonair or Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong on Friday or Saturday, the South China Morning Post reported, citing a Taiwan airport police source and intelligence from Taiwan's security authority.

The report did not explain the woman's motivations.

Shares of Cathay Pacific were up 0.4 percent on Friday, in line with a 0.2 percent gain for the benchmark Hang Seng Index.

Reuters - China Daily