Shock in the holiday plane: fighter plane intercepts Easyjet machine over Menorca
Created: 04/07/2022 17:52
By: Richard Strobl
C.16-63 Eurofighter Typhoon EF 2000 14-64 Spain Airforce taxiing on the runway for take off in the background easyJet Airbus A319-111 OE-LQJ.
(Archive image) © IMAGO/Eventfoto54
An Easyjet vacation plane has been intercepted by a Spanish fighter jet and escorted to the airport.
The trigger was probably a false bomb threat.
Madrid – Moment of shock for the passengers and crew of an Easyjet plane in the direction of the Spanish holiday island of Menorca: a fighter jet intercepted the machine on Sunday and finally escorted it to the airport in Menorca.
The background: There had been a bomb threat for the flight coming from London.
Spanish fighter jet escorts Easyjet machine at the airport - video shows action
The incident happened shortly before 5 p.m. on Sunday, radio station Cadena Ser and other Spanish media reported on Monday, citing the responsible police unit, the Guardia Civil (Civil Guard).
The authorities confirmed this information on request.
The bomb threat turned out to be false, it said.
The Spain fighter jet can be seen on videos that passengers made and then published via Twitter, among other things.
He flies next to the Easyjet machine.
At a certain point, the jet shakes its wings: a request for the passenger pilot to follow the jet.
Fighter jet next to Easyjet machine over Menorca: young people probably caused an incident
According to reports, the Airbus A319 machine landed on Sunday under the strictest security measures, but without any problems at Mahón Airport in Menorca.
An 18-year-old Briton was arrested as a suspect, the newspaper
Diario de Mallorca
and other Balearic media reported, citing the authorities.
He is said to have published the bomb threat on the Internet from the plane of the English airline.
Further details about the arrested person were not initially known.
The young man should be presented to the judge on Monday.
Spreading a false bomb threat in Spain is punishable by a prison sentence of between three months and one year.
(dpa/rjs)