BEIJING: U.S. officials said on Saturday they are investigating terrorism concerns after two people listed as passengers on the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 turned out not to be on the plane and had reported their passports stolen, according to NBCnews.com
"We are aware of the reporting on the two stolen passports," one senior official said.
"We have not determined a nexus to terrorism yet, although it's still very early, and that’s by no means definitive.”
U.S. officials said they were checking into passenger manifests and going back through intelligence.
No Italian was on board the missing flight, the Italian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday, despite an Italian citizen being included on the passenger list.
The passenger list provided by the company includes Luigi Maraldi, 37, an Italian citizen.
Newspaper Corriere Della Sera reported that Maraldi's passport was stolen in Thailand last August. The Italian Interior Ministry was unable to immediately comment on the report.
Austrian Foreign Ministry says the Austrian citizen reported to be on the flight is safe. The passport was stolen. – ANN/China Daily