RAF Typhoon jet escorts Ryanair plane after terror alert sounds

This is the dramatic moment an RAF Typhoon jet escorted a Ryanair plane after responding within five minutes after a terror alert was sounded over a ‘suspicious item’ in the toilet – which turned out to be a mobile phone. 

Police have released two Kuwaiti and Italian men without charge and said no terror incident took place on board the diverted flight after realising they were ordinary passengers. 

Two Typhoons were scrambled from RAF Coningsby to intercept the Lauda jet before armed police surrounded it on the runway when it landed at Stansted from Vienna at around 7.20pm yesterday. 

The crew had alerted police to a potential ‘security threat’ on board, and after landing two men aged 24 and 48 were arrested by anti-terror police and taken into custody. They have now been released and the investigation closed.  

Pictures now show an RAF jet escorting the flight closely after the alarm was raised.

Two Typhoons accompanied the Ryanair jet as it landed at Stansted airport in Essex.  

Passenger Joanna Czechowska said officers boarded and took away two men after the suspicious items were discovered in the toilets.

She tweeted last night: ‘There are armed police all around. They told us to put our seat belts back on. We are parked in a remote area.

‘The police have come back on board and taken two men away. 

‘They found suspicious objects in the toilets and called the police. All seems ok now! That was scary.’ 

The two suspects were held in custody but released this morning. 

A spokesman for the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit, which fights terrorism and organised crime, today confirmed the ‘suspicious object’ was a phone that was found in the toilets. 

In a statement he added: ‘Officers investigating reports of a suspicious device on a flight landing at London Stansted Airport yesterday have concluded their enquiries.

‘Following reports of a suspicious device in the bathroom of a plane arriving from Vienna, Austria, shortly after 7pm, Counter Terrorism Policing officers from the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) detained two men under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act (2000).

‘After examination by specialist investigators, the object was found not to be of concern. Officers spoke with the two men and neither were considered to have committed any offences.’ 

Detective Superintendent Andy Waldie said: ‘We understandably take any reports of suspicious objects or behaviour on flights very seriously and thankfully on this occasion there was no cause for concern.

‘I’d like to thank those on the flight for their cooperation and understanding while officers conducted their enquiries.’

Ryanair said: ‘The crew of a Ryanair flight from Vienna to London Stansted this evening were alerted of a potential security threat on board. 

‘In line with procedures, the captain informed UK authorities and continued to London Stansted, where the aircraft landed normally and taxied to a remote stand where passengers disembarked safely.

‘Passengers in London Stansted waiting to depart to Vienna were transferred to a spare aircraft to minimise the delay to their flight.

The RAF said: ‘Typhoon fighter aircraft from RAF Coningsby were launched this evening to intercept a civilian aircraft. The aircraft was escorted safely to Stansted.’ 

The jets were thought to have then headed in the direction of Cheltenham to be refueled, before appearing to return towards base at RAF Coningsby.    

Do you know the two arrested men? Contact [email protected]