2:25am UK, Wednesday September 29, 2004

A Greek airliner bound for New York has been diverted to Ireland after a second bomb scare to affect Olympic Airlines in three days.           

The plane carrying 295 passengers and 12 crew from Athens to New York landed in Shannon, Ireland.

180 Greek airliner grounded at Shannon Airport

Greek plane grounded at Shannon, Ireland

The decision was taken following an anonymous call to an Athens newspaper saying a bomb was on the plane.          

Olympic Airways spokeswoman Melina Pitta said: "The newspaper got a call at 1.45pm UK time saying a bomb was on board and would explode in an hour. Nothing has happened.       

"After a meeting it was decided the plane would make an emergency landing at Shannon as it was the nearest airport."       

On Sunday, an Olympic plane also bound for New York landed at Stansted airport, near London, following a similar threat.           

Nothing suspicious was found.           

Officials from the Greek police, the country's civil aviation authority and Olympic Airlines held an emergency meeting to discuss the threat.           

Security in Athens is heightened following last month's Olympics and tghe Paralympics.