Two men arrested for 'endangering aircraft' on way from Pakistan to Britain
- Pakistan International Airlines passenger plane diverted to Stansted
- MoD say Typhoon jet launched to 'investigate an incident'
- Understood incident happened 10 minutes before it was due to land
- Two men have been arrested on suspicion of 'endangerment of an aircraft'
By JAMES RUSH and SIMON TOMLINSON
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Two men were arrested at Stansted Airport on suspicion of endangerment of an aircraft today after an RAF Typhoon jet was scrambled to escort a passenger plane travelling from Pakistan to the UK, police said.
Officers boarded Pakistan International Airlines flight PK709, which is believed to have been carrying 297 passengers bound for Manchester, after it landed at Stansted and removed the men from the plane.
A police spokesman said: 'Essex Police have boarded a passenger plane diverted to Stansted Airport and two men have been arrested on suspicion of endangerment of an aircraft. They have been removed from the plane.'
The Pakistan International Airlines plane that was escorted into Stansted by Typhoon jets today
The PIA plane as it was being escorted by the RAF Typhoon jet
The RAF jet was scrambled following an incident around 10 minutes before the plane, which departed from Lahore, was due to land in Manchester at 2pm.
The incident is not thought to be terrorism-related at this stage, it is understood.
A Pakistan International Airlines spokesman said the plane had now landed in the UK but it was not immediately in communication with the pilot.
The pilot asked for the plane to be diverted to Stansted as a precaution after becoming concerned about a passenger who was shouting, The Guardian has reported.
The pilot was satisfied the incident had been resolved, according to the newspaper.
A Department for Transport source said: ‘We are aware of an incident. We are assisting the Ministry of Defence and police who are leading the operation.’
The flight from Lahore to Manchester was diverted to Stansted following the 'incident' 10 minutes before it was due to land
This image shows how the plane was moved away from the passenger terminals after it landed at Stansted
Eurocontrol, Europe's air navigation safety watchdog, has said 'significant' delays are expected at Stansted Airport following an 'incident with a 777 declaring an emergency', ITV News has reported.
A spokesman for Stansted Airport said it was 'operating normally from our runway'.
The MoD has said a total of 25 Quick Reaction Alerts were launched in 2012.
The arrests come at a sensitive time in Pakistani politics following a string of terror attacks in the country after the presidential elections.
Officers boarded the plane after it landed at Stansted and removed two men from the plane
The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility yesterday for a bomb that killed 11 security personnel and two civilians in the southwestern city of Quetta.
It was the second major attack since the May 11 general election which marked the first transition between civilian governments in Pakistan's turbulent history after a campaign marred by violence.
Prime Minister-elect Nawaz Sharif has called for talks with the Pakistani Taliban in a bid to end rising militancy.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2330327/BREAKING-NEWS-Typhoon-jets-escort-flight-Pakistan-security-alert.html#ixzz2UDkpNply
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