Around 200 passengers on board an Air Europa flight from Caracas to Madrid had to be evacauted shortly before take-off earlier today after airport staff received two telephone warnings - from Venezuela and Spain - advising that one of the pasengers was planning to detonate a bomb mid-flight.

All passengers' hand luggage was removed and the plane has been moved to a safe area within the Maiquetía international airport complex, where it is being searched by bomb disposal experts.

Four young passengers were taken away for X-rays while the rest are waiting for news in one of the terminal building's departure lounges.