Two Swiss Air Force jets were scrambled to escort an El Al Israeli passenger plane en route from New York to Tel Aviv due to a bomb alert on Tuesday.

The Boeing 747 later landed safely, on schedule, in Tel Aviv.

The Swiss jets established visual contact with the pilot, as it flew over Switzerland, a spokesman for Skyguide, a firm that monitors Swiss airspace, said.

Open gallery view Radar map shows El Al Flight LY002 in red. Credit:

The Foreign Ministry said U.S. aviation authorities had received an "anonymous tip about a bomb inside an airplane kitchenette."

"The Americans updated Swiss authorities while the plane was in Swiss airspace, and the Swiss scrambled fighter jets to escort the plane," the ministry said.

"An examination showed the plane was 'clean' and it continued its journey as usual."

El Al earlier said it received an anonymous tip about a bomb on board flight LY002, but added that the flight was proceeding on schedule. El Al gave no further details.