This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22658979
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 1 | Version 2 |
---|---|
Two held after RAF Typhoon jets escort Pakistan plane over UK | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Two men have been arrested after RAF Typhoon jets were launched to escort a passenger plane travelling from Pakistan to the UK, police have said. | |
Officers boarded Pakistan International Airlines flight PK709, which had been due to land at Manchester, after it was diverted to Stansted Airport. | |
Two men are being held on suspicion of endangerment of an aircraft, Essex Police said. | |
They said the men had been removed from the plane. | |
The plane, flight number PK709, reportedly left Lahore at 09:35 local time. It was due in at Manchester at 14:00 BST. | The plane, flight number PK709, reportedly left Lahore at 09:35 local time. It was due in at Manchester at 14:00 BST. |
Emergency signal | |
A Manchester Airport spokesman said: "A Pakistan International Airlines aircraft which was due to land at Manchester Airport at 13.30 BST today has been diverted to our sister airport London Stansted, where the authorities are investigating." | |
The MoD said responsibility for the incident had passed to Essex Police and the Home Office. | |
An MoD spokesman said the incident was now a police matter and that "our involvement is over". | |
He said Typhoon jets could be scrambled after the pilot or crew of a passenger aircraft sends out an emergency signal. | |
"The purpose of going up is to investigate what the situation is," he said. | |
"Often when a Quick Reaction Alert aircraft is launched the details are not known, but it is known that a signal has been sent. | |
"Part of the purpose of sending a Typhoon up is to have a look and see what they can see." | |
A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) spokesman Zufiqar Bijarani told CNN: "We have been told there may have been a bomb threat." But he did not say if he had anything to confirm or deny this. | |
Stansted Airport said on Twitter that it was operating normally. | Stansted Airport said on Twitter that it was operating normally. |
PIA said there were 308 passengers on board, as well as 14 crew including pilots, with a mixture of Pakistani and British passport holders. | |
'Serious incident' | 'Serious incident' |
Philip Baum, of Aviation Security International, told the BBC: "This is certainly a significant incident, however the fact that fighter jets were scrambled to intercept is not unusual. | Philip Baum, of Aviation Security International, told the BBC: "This is certainly a significant incident, however the fact that fighter jets were scrambled to intercept is not unusual. |
"Fighter jets are scrambled when there is a bomb threat, when there is a hijack, when the wrong transponder code is used or if an aircraft cannot communicate with the ground. Often the result is when there is an unruly passenger on board. | |
"What is interesting in this case is that it would appear that the aircraft was only 10 minutes from landing - these are initial reports coming in - when they decided to divert to Stansted. So to actually change a destination 10 minutes from landing would certainly imply that there was some serious incident taking place." | "What is interesting in this case is that it would appear that the aircraft was only 10 minutes from landing - these are initial reports coming in - when they decided to divert to Stansted. So to actually change a destination 10 minutes from landing would certainly imply that there was some serious incident taking place." |
Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
Read the terms and conditions | Read the terms and conditions |