A Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jet. (Wikipedia)
Typhoon British fighter jets were scrambled today to divert a flight from Pakistan to England after some type of incident onboard.
Pakistan International Airlines Flight 709, a Boeing 777 carrying 297 people from Lahore to Manchester, has landed safely at Stansted Airport in Essex, where two men have been arrested by agents who boarded the plane, according to Reuters.
The Guardian reports the pilot requested the diversion:
…the pilot, concerned about a disruptive passenger who had started shouting, asked to divert to Stansted, London’s third airport, as a precaution.
Essex Police say the men were arrested “on suspicion of endangerment of an aircraft”:
The plane was diverted in British airspace.
Officials are saying there this does not appear to be terrorism-related, but it comes in the wake of the gruesome public slaying of a British soldier in London.
Diverted Pakistan International Airlines plane which was escorted by an RAF jet has landed safely at Stansted Airport
— Sky News Newsdesk (@SkyNewsBreak) May 24, 2013
BRITISH SECURITY SOURCE SAYS EARLY INDICATIONS ARE THE DIVERTED PAKISTANI PLANE IS NOT THE SUBJECT OF A TERROR ATTACK
— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) May 24, 2013
British police arrest two men on Pakistan plane diverted to Stansted on suspicion of endangerment of an aircraft #breaking
— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) May 24, 2013
An incident has occurred on an aircraft. Police + partners are responding + a further updated will be released asap
— Essex Police (@EssexPoliceUK) May 24, 2013
Diverted Pakistani plane contacted Manchester air traffic control asking for assistance due to two disruptive passengers onboard
— Sky News Newsdesk (@SkyNewsBreak) May 24, 2013
Diverted Pakistani plane contacted Manchester air traffic control asking for assistance due to two disruptive passengers onboard
— Sky News Newsdesk (@SkyNewsBreak) May 24, 2013