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| Manchester airport bomb scare: Passenger arrested after fighter jet escorts plane into land | |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| A man has been arrested on suspicion of making a hoax bomb threat after a Qatar Airways plane was escorted by an RAF jet into Manchester Airport because of a "possible device" on board. | A man has been arrested on suspicion of making a hoax bomb threat after a Qatar Airways plane was escorted by an RAF jet into Manchester Airport because of a "possible device" on board. |
| A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said the aircraft was accompanied by a fighter jet as it landed "as a result of information received by the pilot about a possible device". | A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said the aircraft was accompanied by a fighter jet as it landed "as a result of information received by the pilot about a possible device". |
| The threat was allegedly made in a letter handed to a member of the crew and passed on to the pilot, who alerted air traffic control before the RAF jet was scrambled. | The threat was allegedly made in a letter handed to a member of the crew and passed on to the pilot, who alerted air traffic control before the RAF jet was scrambled. |
| The aircraft was the Qatar Airways flight QR23 from Doha to Manchester and the RAF plane was a Typhoon from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire. | The aircraft was the Qatar Airways flight QR23 from Doha to Manchester and the RAF plane was a Typhoon from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire. |
| The Airbus A330-300, which had 269 passengers and 13 crew on board, landed around 1.30pm in a remote part of the airport. | The Airbus A330-300, which had 269 passengers and 13 crew on board, landed around 1.30pm in a remote part of the airport. |
| Passengers said on Twitter that armed police were outside the plane shortly afterwards and images later showed a man in a green T-shirt being escorted off the plane by armed guards. | Passengers said on Twitter that armed police were outside the plane shortly afterwards and images later showed a man in a green T-shirt being escorted off the plane by armed guards. |
| People disembarked from the plane after the man was detained and it is understood that no bomb or suspicious device was found on board. | People disembarked from the plane after the man was detained and it is understood that no bomb or suspicious device was found on board. |
| pic.twitter.com/5MgD2TnYyM | pic.twitter.com/5MgD2TnYyM |
| Flights in and out of Manchester Airport were disrupted by the incident as the runway was shut for 25 minutes but police said it was "business as usual" by 2pm. | Flights in and out of Manchester Airport were disrupted by the incident as the runway was shut for 25 minutes but police said it was "business as usual" by 2pm. |
| Nine incoming flights had to be diverted to other airports, with five landing at Leeds Bradford airport. | Nine incoming flights had to be diverted to other airports, with five landing at Leeds Bradford airport. |
| “There are a few minor delays to outgoing flights but we're pretty much back to normal,” an airport spokesman said on Tuesday afternoon. | “There are a few minor delays to outgoing flights but we're pretty much back to normal,” an airport spokesman said on Tuesday afternoon. |
| Footage from on board the plane and on the ground showed the Typhoon flying level with the passenger jet on its left side as it descended. | Footage from on board the plane and on the ground showed the Typhoon flying level with the passenger jet on its left side as it descended. |
| Chief Superintendent John O'Hare said the safety of those on board as well as those in and around the airport was his "paramount concern" in the police operation. | Chief Superintendent John O'Hare said the safety of those on board as well as those in and around the airport was his "paramount concern" in the police operation. |
| The flight was number QR023 from Doha and circled twice around the south of the Peak District before approaching the airport, flight data showed. | The flight was number QR023 from Doha and circled twice around the south of the Peak District before approaching the airport, flight data showed. |
| A passenger, Josh Hartley, tweeted pictures and a video of the RAF plane flying alongside the aircraft, writing: "Okay no [sic] I am worried." | A passenger, Josh Hartley, tweeted pictures and a video of the RAF plane flying alongside the aircraft, writing: "Okay no [sic] I am worried." |
| Shortly before 1.30pm, he wrote: "Landed dunno what the f*** is happening." | Shortly before 1.30pm, he wrote: "Landed dunno what the f*** is happening." |
| He appeared to only learn about the possible device on the plane from tweets sent by media outlets. | He appeared to only learn about the possible device on the plane from tweets sent by media outlets. |
| "We were not told anything," he told the BBC as he waited on the plane. | "We were not told anything," he told the BBC as he waited on the plane. |
| "We got nothing from [the cabin crew] whatsoever. We had no contact and no information apart from what we saw on Twitter." | "We got nothing from [the cabin crew] whatsoever. We had no contact and no information apart from what we saw on Twitter." |
| Asked how passengers had reacted to seeing the fighter jet alongside the plane he said: "It think it was pretty calm all the way through but I think some people were shaken up." | Asked how passengers had reacted to seeing the fighter jet alongside the plane he said: "It think it was pretty calm all the way through but I think some people were shaken up." |
| Paul Bell, who was on his way to the airport in a taxi, told Sky News that he saw the RAF Typhoon meet the passenger plane. | Paul Bell, who was on his way to the airport in a taxi, told Sky News that he saw the RAF Typhoon meet the passenger plane. |
| He said: "We heard the fighter jet circling over Stockport, and literally 10 minutes later we saw the plane coming in being followed by it. | He said: "We heard the fighter jet circling over Stockport, and literally 10 minutes later we saw the plane coming in being followed by it. |
| "We saw the [RAF Typhoon] coming in, literally flying around the aeroplane. | "We saw the [RAF Typhoon] coming in, literally flying around the aeroplane. |
| "It then pinged up on the sat nav that the airport is on lock-down." | "It then pinged up on the sat nav that the airport is on lock-down." |
| Manchester Police said it was "business as usual" for other flights at the airport by 2pm due to a swift response. | Manchester Police said it was "business as usual" for other flights at the airport by 2pm due to a swift response. |
| The plane was parked at remote location at Manchester airport | The plane was parked at remote location at Manchester airport |
| Authorities had followed "standard procedure" in dealing with a possible threat, according David Kaminski-Morrow, the air transport editor of Flightglobal magazine. | Authorities had followed "standard procedure" in dealing with a possible threat, according David Kaminski-Morrow, the air transport editor of Flightglobal magazine. |
| He said: "In situations like these, the plan is always to get the aircraft down at the nearest available landing site. | He said: "In situations like these, the plan is always to get the aircraft down at the nearest available landing site. |
| "It could be that a threat could have been phoned in and passed on to the captain. It could be that someone on board has spotted something. | "It could be that a threat could have been phoned in and passed on to the captain. It could be that someone on board has spotted something. |
| "In any event, no one wants to take any chances." | "In any event, no one wants to take any chances." |
| An RAF spokesman said the incident was handled by civilian authorities after the safe landing of the plane. | An RAF spokesman said the incident was handled by civilian authorities after the safe landing of the plane. |
| He added: "We can confirm that Typhoon aircraft were launched from RAF Coningsby in their quick reaction alert role this afternoon to investigate a civilian aircraft whose pilot had requested assistance." | He added: "We can confirm that Typhoon aircraft were launched from RAF Coningsby in their quick reaction alert role this afternoon to investigate a civilian aircraft whose pilot had requested assistance." |
| Qatar Airways issued a statement confirming that flight QR23 from Doha to Manchester landed after its scheduled arrival time of 1.15pm. | Qatar Airways issued a statement confirming that flight QR23 from Doha to Manchester landed after its scheduled arrival time of 1.15pm. |
| It continued: "There were 269 passengers and 13 Qatar Airways crew on board. The crew onboard had received a threat about a possible device on board and Qatar Airways immediately took all the necessary precautions to alert British authorities. | It continued: "There were 269 passengers and 13 Qatar Airways crew on board. The crew onboard had received a threat about a possible device on board and Qatar Airways immediately took all the necessary precautions to alert British authorities. |
| "The crew is now fully assisting police at the airport with their inquiries. The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew is our top priority. As this is a matter of a police investigation, we cannot comment further at this time. " | "The crew is now fully assisting police at the airport with their inquiries. The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew is our top priority. As this is a matter of a police investigation, we cannot comment further at this time. " |