French prosecutor probes Aer Lingus pilot's reported refusal to land

PARIS, Nov 5 (Reuters) - A French prosecutor opened an investigation on Thursday into whether the pilot of the Aer Lingus aircraft that was diverted after a bomb threat refused to land in Evreux in northern France.

Prosecutor Remi Coutin said in a statement he was informed the pilot initially refused to comply with the French authorities' request to land in Evreux, before two fighter jets were sent to force him to do so. Coutin said he will probe whether the pilot did in fact refuse to comply with a request to land and if such a refusal could be a criminal offense.

The Airbus flying from Dublin to Rome was diverted on Thursday morning after a bomb threat that turned out to be a hoax, the prosecutor said.