An Egyptair passenger airliner heading for New York with 332 people on board was briefly diverted to an airport in Atlantic Canada on Monday after reports of smoke on board, aviation officials said.

The crew of the Boeing 777 jet declared an emergency and landed at Goose Bay in Newfoundland and Labrador. Checks uncovered no problems and the plane was expected to resume its flight later in the day, Goose Bay airport's chief executive, Kevin Aylward said.

Aylward said the plane, which left Cairo for New York's JFK Airport, had been carrying 313 passengers and 19 crew.