Federal authorities investigating after bomb threat forces evacuation of Alitalia flight at JFK

ELMHURST (WABC) -- Federal authorities are investigating a bomb threat that forced the evacuation of an Alitalia flight at JFK Airport.

Emergency vehicles surrounded the Alitalia flight on the tarmac after it arrived from Milan at about 4 p.m. Sunday.

The airline confirms that passengers were taken off the plane without their bags, while police and K9 units searched the aircraft.

Maxim Sorin, a passenger on the plane says he was taken off and then put on Port Authority buses for an hour and half. Shortly before 6 p.m. passengers on Flight 603, heading to Rome were allowed to board the plane. Luggage was taken off the plane, and was then put back on.

Sorin says the captain announced that he was alerted, and that police were going to come up and do a safety check.

Alitalia released a statement saying,

"On Sunday June 14, Alitalia has been informed by the TSA of a bomb threat on its flight AZ604 Milan Malpensa-New York JFK. Emergency procedures have been put in place. The flight safely landed in JFK at 4,08 PM local time. All passengers disembarked without any problem."

The Port Authority says it is because it is an international flight, Customs and Borders protection is in charge of the investigation.