Threat forces Egyptian passenger plane bound for Moscow to return

An EgyptAir flight heading to the Russian capital Moscow returned to Cairo today after finding a “threat message.” Flight MS729 returned to the Cairo airport safely 22 minutes after its takeoff. The message was written and found on one of the aircraft’s seats, EgyptAir said in a statement. 

The airline did not provide further details. A subsequent security inspection found no threat to the plane, the Associated Press reported. 

Flights between Russia and Egypt have a troubled history. Russia suspended flight services to Egypt in 2015 following an Islamic State attack that brought down a Russian plane. Flights between Cairo and Moscow resumed in 2018, and flights between Russia and Egypt’s Red Sea resort areas started up again this past summer.