Egypt-bound passenger jet grounded after taking off from Berlin due to bomb threat

The plane made an emergency landing in Budapest and is being checked by police

A passenger jet on its way to Egypt from Germany has been forced to make an emergency landing over a bomb threat, it has been reported.

Police declined to name the airline operator, but told the Reuters news agency that the flight was on its way from Berlin to Hurghada on Egypt's Red Sea coast when it was forced to make a diversion.

Police spokeswoman Viktoria Csiszer-Kovacs said the threat had been aimed at the airline, and that police were conducting a search of the jet as well as its passengers and any luggage on board.

According to German media reports, the flight was operated by Condor and left Berlin on time at 9.22am local time. It landed just over two hours and 20 minutes later after turning back towards Budapest.

The flight tracking website, Flight Radar 24, appeared to show flight DE490 got as far as the skies over central Serbia before turning back towards the Hungarian capital.