China flight to Urumqi forced to land for 'national security reasons'

BEIJING - A Chinese flight from Shanghai to the western city Urumqi was forced to land in Nanjing on Thursday due to "national security reasons", an airline employee said.

The employee of Shanghai-based Juneyao Airlines Co. Ltd., reached by phone, declined to give his name and said he could not provide any further information.

Blasts at a street market in Urumqi, located in the restive far-west region of Xinjiang, killed 31 people and injured 94 on Thursday. Chinese authorities have labelled the attack an act of terrorism.