Stansted plane arrests after mid-air security alert

Not a good day to be travelling what with the BA engine fire at Heathrow and now this. The Pakistan International Airline (PIA) flight inbound from Lahore to Manchester was over northern England and thus well into descent.

At which point the captain called an emergency code system resulting in two RAF Typhoon jets scrambling for emergency escort.

In the UK that means escort for landing at Stansted in Essex, the UK designated airport for emergencies like this or hijacks – the last being the lenghty hijack of an Ariana jet several years ago.

The Typhoons are deployed to get eyes on the aircraft mid-air and begin the escort process to ground, they’re based Coningsby in Lincolnshire.

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A passenger said that two other male passengers on PK709 threatened to blow up the plane and later said they were joking. That is not confirmed by the police.

There are other unconfirmed reports that the men attempted to enter the cockpit using threatening language.

Essex police say two men aged 31 and 40 have been arrested, suspected of endangering an aircraft.

Passengers are currently enjoying traditional Essex hospitality before onward transport to Manchester.

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