3 arrested after bomb threat at Heathrow

London, England (CNN)  -- The three men arrested Friday night aboard an Emirates Airlines plane at Heathrow Airport had made a verbal threat to staff, police said Saturday.

The men, ages 58, 48, and 36, were arrested on suspicion of making a bomb threat and remain in police custody, London's Metropolitan Police said. Their names were not released.

It happened around 9:15 p.m. (4:15 p.m. ET) as the Emirates flight was taxiing to take off for Dubai, police said.

Police were alerted and armed officers with sniffer dogs boarded the plane, they said.

All passengers were removed from the plane and police were searching the aircraft overnight.

Heathrow remained open during the incident.