RAWALPINDI, April 27: Security personnel and bomb disposal squads searched a Pakistan International Airline (PIA) flight at Islamabad international airport on Sunday after an unidentified caller informed the Civil Aviation Authorities (CAA) that a bomb had been planted in the plane, airport authorities said.

There were 287 passengers and 16 crew members on board the Boeing-777 jet, which was about to take off for Birmingham at 12 noon.

Everyone on board was evacuated from the aircraft as security and bomb experts began searching the plane, which was parked away from the terminal building as a security precaution. The luggage of the passengers was also offloaded.

The call was made from the airport building, a security source said, adding the number had been traced.

PIA spokesman in Islamabad, Mohammad Latif, said the PK-791 flight for Birmingham was delayed by more than four hours.

Security officials concluded that the threat was a hoax and allowed the plane to continue its journey. The plane took off for its destination at 4.30pm.