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A British Airways flight bound for Heathrow made an emergency landing in Canada this morning amid reports of a bomb threat.

The plane carrying 312 passengers and 16 crew members was on its way from Las Vegas to London when it was diverted to Montreal.

BA would not confirm the reason for the emergency stop, but it was claimed a bomb threat was made against the aircraft.

The airline said it landed safely at Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport at about 11am UK time. Local police reportedly searched the plane after passengers disembarked.

Ewen Sommerville, a genetics PhD student based in Newcastle, tweeted that his parents were on the flight and were told there was a "suspect device" on board.

He said: "They were told it was [a] suspect device and they were diverted to Montreal, landed, evacuated, then plane was searched.

"[I've] been told it's all calm."

A spokesman for Montreal Police said the pilot made a call to the airport saying there was an "emergency" during the flight and he wanted to land. He would not expand on the nature of the emergency.

A spokeswoman for BA said: "Our flight from Las Vegas to Heathrow landed safely this morning at Montreal and customers left the aircraft as normal after the captain took the decision to divert the aircraft as a precaution.

"The safety and security of our customers, crew and aircraft are our highest priorities at all times."

Passengers are being offered hotel rooms and bookings to the earliest flights available, she said.

The BA spokeswoman added: "We are working with the Canadian authorities and giving them our fullest support."