Passengers Get Off Plane After Newark Health Scare POSTED: 4:19 pm EDT March 26, 2007 UPDATED: 5:40 pm EDT March 26, 2007 Email This Story | Print This Story NEW YORK -- Passengers were allowed to get off a plane at Newark Liberty International Airport on Monday after authorities had held them there because some of them appeared to be sick. The Continental flight arrived at 2 p.m. in New Jersey, and passengers disembarked about 4 p.m. after officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention allowed them off, said Marc La Vorgna, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport. Images: Passengers Held On Plane Continental said 272 passengers were on board the flight that left Hong Kong at around 11 a.m. A few of the passengers were taken to an area hospital, but federal health officials determined there was no evidence of bird flu. Chopper 4 shot video of the scene, showing an ambulance and several police cars next to the plane, which was parked at a terminal. The walkway from the gate was extended to the door of the plane. Continental said that the crew noticed several passengers appeared to be sick during the flight, and notified U.S. health authorities. "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sent a representative to meet the passengers before their disembarkation into Customs & Border Protection," read a statement from Continental. The statement went on the say that the apparently sick passengers were part of a tour group of more than 80 people who went on a river cruise in Asia. After stopping in Newark, the group was headed to Montreal, Continental said. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> If you wish to unsubscribe from the AIRLINE List, please send an E-mail to: "listserv@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx". Within the body of the text, only write the following:"SIGNOFF AIRLINE".