LONDON, February 7: : A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane flying to Heathrow airport was forced to land at London’s Stansted Airport on Tuesday evening over security threats.
According to British Police, the aircraft was diverted due to reports of a disruptive passenger. “This is not believed to be a hijack situation or terror matter,” Essex Police said in a statement.
“The plane is currently at the airport and officers are making enquiries.”
Stansted airport spokesman says: “The aircraft is likely to continue its journey onwards to Heathrow today pending inquiries that the police are making into the
individual on the aircraft.”
The Ministry of Defence said that Typhoon jets had intercepted the aircraft, which had been en route to London´s Heathrow Airport, and escorted it to Stansted.
Flight tracking websites said Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight PK757 from Lahore to Heathrow had been diverted to Stansted. In a statement, a PIA spokesman said that UK authorities received some ‘vague’ security threat through an anonymous phone call regarding PIA’s Lahore-Heathrow flight PK-757 before its landing at Heathrow, after which, as per their standard procedures the aircraft was diverted to Stansted airport. – Agencies
