Terror Suspect Arrested>RAF Escort Plane in to Land
 

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RAF ESCORT FOR INCOMING JETLINER

Daily Mail UK, 5 August 2014

An incoming plane has been escorted into Manchester airport by the RAF over fears that a device was on board.
Greater Manchester Police said the RAF involvement came "as a result of information received by the pilot about a possible device on board".

It is thought that the plane involved was a Qatar Airways Airbus A330 and that the RAF plane was a Typhoon from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire.

Chief Superintendent John O'Hare said: "An incoming plane has been escorted into the airport by the Royal Air Force as a result of information received by the pilot about a possible device on board.
"We don't know how genuine this threat is but it is absolutely vital we deal with the situation as a full emergency.
"As a result, people will see the police and other agencies at the airport and on the airfield.
"At this time I would urge them not to be alarmed. Our response will be as comprehensive as it is proportionate with the safety of those on board and in and around the airport our paramount concern."


UPDATE:

Man Arrested after 'Hoax Bomb Threat' on Qatar Airways Flight Triggers Full Emergency and RAF Scrambles Typhoon to Escort Plane into Manchester Airport

• Typhoon fighter jet scrambled amid fears for passenger jet flying from Doha
• RAF plane escorts flight to airport where it touches down safely on runway
• After armed police surround the aircraft, a man is escorted from the plane
• Police confirm he was arrested on suspicion of making a hoax bomb threat

A passenger airliner flying into Manchester Airport was escorted by an RAF fighter jet today and a suspected hoax bomber was arrested after it landed safely on the runway.

Concerns were raised about Qatar Airways flight QR23, which was flying to Britain from Doha, and a Typhoon jet was scrambled from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire.
The Airbus A330 plane was surrounded by armed police officers and fire engines after it landed and a man has now been escorted from the aircraft.
Police have confirmed the man pulled from the flight has been arrested on suspicion of making a hoax bomb threat.


Scroll down for video


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An RAF Typhoon jet accompanied a Qatar Airways flight into land at Manchester
airport after the pilot of the plane raised the alarm over concerns a 'device was on board'


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A passenger on board the aircraft tweeted this photo of a man being escorted away by police


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The man, wearing a green t-shirt with silver lettering, was then pictured being led onto the tarmac by police

On board plane footage shows jet escort and silent passengers:

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A passenger on the flight said he watched as armed police officers escorted a man from the plane.

Josh Hartley, who boarded the plane at Doha in Qatar, said the episode left passengers remaining on the plane feeling 'shaken up'.
He told BBC: 'The flight was pretty calm all the way through, but some people are shaken up, quite a few. It was scary.
'One guy has been escorted off the plane already but we're still on it. We've heard nothing yet. We've had no information all the way through this.'

Speaking of the moment he became aware of the RAF Typhoon following the plane, he said: 'I thought it was just a one off thing, then I realised it had stayed for four or five minutes. I was thinking of the possibilities.'

Another passenger, Matthew Qox, added: 'Armed police came on and found a guy, searched him and made him stand up with his hands on his head and took him off the plane.
'He seemed no different to others on the plane, nothing unusual.'

A video shot by a passenger on board the aircraft shows the jet fighter pulling alongside the airliner as it comes into land.

Greater Manchester Police's Chief Superintendent John O'Hare, said: 'An incoming plane has been escorted into the airport by the Royal Air Force as a result of information received by the pilot about a possible device on board.


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The plane was surrounded by armed police and fire engines after it came into land


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The fighter jet was pictured arching around the Qatar Airways Airbus after contacting authorities on the ground

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The pilot alerted those on the ground to what was happening on board and a 'quick reaction' jet was scrambled

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The RAF fighter jet circled the plane in the skies over Manchester after tracking it from the peak district


'We don't know how genuine this threat is but it is absolutely vital we deal with the situation as a full emergency.
'As a result people will see the police and other agencies at the airport and on the airfield.
'At this time I would urge them not to be alarmed. Our response will be as comprehensive as it is proportionate with the safety of those on board and in and around the airport our paramount concern.'

Residents of Manchester have said they heard the RAF plane screech overhead as the airliner came in to land.
One said: 'I saw the fighter jet come from nowhere on the heels of the passenger plane. It seemed really close and was incredibly noisy.
'I thought it was going to hit the plane. It was circling so close. The jet looked like it was following the plane to the airport.'


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Photos taken from the ground show the fighter circling the much-larger passenger plane over the city

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Residents of the city say the fighter 'came from nowhere' to fly alongside the Airbus A330 airliner


Another said: 'It came over my house. It was so loud. It was a fighter jet and looked like it was heading to Manchester Airport.'

An RAF spokesman said later that the plane had landed safely and the incident was being handled by civilian authorities.
He said: '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.
'The aircraft was escorted to Manchester where it landed safely. This incident is now being handled by the civilian authorities.'

On Board Plane Footage Shows Jet Escort and Silent Passengers:

re: Terror Suspect Arrested>RAF Escort Plane in to Land
 

'Oh S***!': What 'Bomb Hoax' Passenger said When he saw Fighter Jet Flying Alongside his Plane - as Police Reveal He has Now Been Sectioned

• Full-scale emergency sparked over fears of bomb on flight from Doha
• RAF Typhoon was scrambled and accompanied airliner in to land
• Police arrested a 47-year-old man on suspicion of making a bomb hoax
• It is alleged he handed cabin crew a note saying device was on board
• Passengers left terrified after armed police surrounded plane on tarmac
• The suspect has now been sectioned under the Mental Health Act

Daily Mail UK, 6 August 2014


The alleged bomb hoaxer arrested on a flight into Manchester Airport said 'oh s***' when he saw an RAF Typhoon pull alongside the passenger plane in mid-air, fellow passengers have revealed.
The 47-year-old suspect, from north-west England, allegedly passed a note to cabin crew saying there was a bomb on board the plane, sparking a full scale alert in which a fighter jet was scrambled from a nearby airbase.

Passengers who sat near the man on the plane have now told how his mood quickly changed when he looked out of the window and saw the warplane flying just yards from the aircraft's wing.
The man was led away from the Qatar Airways plane by armed police after the flight landed yesterday and he has now been sectioned under the Mental Health Act.


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The man who was arrested over an alleged bomb hoax on a Qatar Airways flight
to Manchester yesterday has now been sectioned, police announced this morning


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Worried passengers on the flight photographed the man being led away by police after the plane landed


A huge emergency operation was launched yesterday afternoon when the pilot of flight QR23 from Doha contacted authorities on the ground to tell them of fears a bomb had been smuggled on board the plane.
It is claimed the suspect wrote a note to cabin crew as part of the alleged hoax, as fears of a terror attack spread among those on board.
Fellow passengers told the Daily Mirror today that the man was initially quiet, but said 'oh s***' when the Typhoon appeared outside the window.
The suspect, who was wearing a green t-shirt with silver lettering on it, was later pictured being hauled off the flight before being led, handcuffed, onto the tarmac.


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The full scale alert meant armed police surrounded the plane after it landed and a number of flights were diverted away from the airport


Police have now sectioned the man under the Mental Health Act so he can be assessed before they decide whether to charge him.
A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said: 'A man, 47, arrested following an incident at Manchester Airport has been sectioned under the Mental Health Act.
'Following his arrest he was assessed by medical staff and again by a mental health team. He was subsequently sectioned to allow for a fuller assessment and appropriate treatment.'

After they were allowed to leave the aircraft yesterday, some of the 269 passengers who had been on board described the moment the fighter jet from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire pulled alongside their plane.

One of them was Josh Hartley, who said he spotted the RAF Typhoon outside the window of the passenger plane after they had circled several times.
Mr Hartley told the BBC: 'We were coming in to land (and) about eight minutes, 10 minutes before we landed, a fighter jet came alongside. I looked out the window, then I just started shaking - (it was) a bit terrifying seeing a fighter jet outside the window.'
He said passengers had not been given information about what was happening by the 13-strong crew of the Qatari plane, who even gave them the standard weather update before they touched down.

Aurang Zeb, 60, who was returning from a holiday to his home in Bradford, said: 'I thought there was something wrong because there was a jet flying so near.'
He said the plane landed and was taken to an area well away from the terminal and other planes, where they waited for 45 minutes, then moved again closer to the terminal.


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The Typhoon was dispatched from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire after the airline
pilot radioed authorities on the ground to tell them of the perceived threat

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The terrified passengers had to wait on the plane after the man was arrested and were later transferred to the terminal by bus


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Passenger Aurang Zeb said those on the flight were left terrified by rumours there was a bomb on board


Mr Zeb added: 'Then I saw all the police with guns. Lots of police everywhere. Kids were crying, some people looked very worried because of rumours there's a bomb on the plane.'
Mr Zeb told how two armed police then came on and removed the suspect passenger.
He said: 'They sat him up and said 'Put your hands up'. He did not say anything. People were still worried something might be on board.
'There was a rumour of a bomb on the plane so people are scared. Thank God for that not happening.'

Manju Geo, who was coming to the UK from India to visit family in Stoke, said: 'We were told he was writing some notes on the flight and the air hostess found that.'


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Passengers on the plane and people on the ground photographed the Typhoon as it roared alongside the airliner in the skies over Manchester


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Manchester Airport said nine incoming flights had to be diverted to other airports, with five of these landing at Leeds Bradford Airport.


One of the flights that landed on time at Manchester once the emergency was over was the plane carrying Manchester United back from Florida, where the team had played in a pre-season friendly tournament.

Last night, GMP chief superintendent John O'Hare said: 'The incident arose when the pilot received information about a possible device on board the plane having been handed a note from a passenger.
'As a result a full emergency activation commenced that involved the aircraft being escorted in by the RAF before specialist officers boarded and subsequently made an arrest.
'A full search of the aircraft has now finished and nothing suspicious was found.'