LONDON (AP) — Royal Air Force fighter jets escorted a Pakistani civilian airliner to Stansted Airport near London on Tuesday after a passenger became disruptive, police and the British military said.
The air force said RAF Typhoon jets were launched from an eastern England air base Tuesday afternoon, and that the plane “was intercepted and safely escorted to Stansted Airport,” north of the British capital.
Stansted said the plane was a Pakistan International Airlines flight from Lahore bound for London’s Heathrow Airport.
Essex Police said that the diversion was due to a “disruptive passenger.” It said officers were speaking to people on the plane and the airport remained open.
The force said “this is not believed to be a hijack situation or terror matter.”
The airport said the plane was likely to continue its journey to Heathrow once police had finished their inquiries.