EasyJet passengers were left worried when their flight from London Gatwick to Menorca was intercepted by a Spanish fighter jet, following an alleged bomb threat from a teenage British passenger.
Footage shows a Spanish F18 Hornet warplane stalking the Airbus A319, shocking holidaymakers who looked on from inside the aircraft.
The warplane was scrambled following a security alert on board, after an 18-year-old holiday maker allegedly made a bomb threat on board.
The young tourist was arrested by police yesterday evening.
The teenager is believed to have been part of a group of friends who were travelling to the Balearic Island for a celebration.
The young Brit could be handed a huge compensation bill, including the costs of the police operation and the scrambling of the military jet.
Once the aircraft touched town, specialist officers and sniffer dogs embarked the plane, searching the aircraft for anything suspicious.
While the plane was checked by police, passengers were kept on the aircraft for hours, prohibited to leave until the police deemed it safe to do so.
Spanish F-18 jet fighter, seen through plane window, escorts the Easyjet flight
MARCUS TORR
Passengers were left on board for hours following the incident
Gareth Fuller
The video of the interception has been shared over 51,000 times on Twitter, demonstrating the pilot of the fighter jet tipping his wings at the passenger plane, a symbol meaning "follow me".
The plane landed in Menorca 30 minutes after the mid-air incident.
A spokesman for the Civil Guard confirmed today: “The Civil Guard has arrested an 18-year-old British national as the alleged author of a crime of public disorder in Mahon in Menorca.
“Yesterday, the control tower at Menorca Airport was alerted to a bomb threat on a plane heading from London to the island capital Mahon which was still in the air and nearing the airport.
“The threat was said to have been sent on a social media platform.
“Once the plane landed it was taken to an area away from the main terminal and other aircraft.
“The Civil Guard organised a special operation which consisted of mobilising bomb disposal experts as well as sniffer dogs and other officers who created a safe perimeter around the plane.
“The passengers were disembarked and established protocol followed until police were able to confirm it was a false bomb threat and the person responsible was identified on social media along with five other companions as witnesses.
“They were taken to a police station so officers could clarify the situation.”
The drama led to the late take off of a Ryanair jet, which departed Menorca for London two and a half hours later than anticipated.
An Easyjet spokesman said: “Flight EZY8303 from London Gatwick to Menorca was escorted by military aircraft while landing in Menorca and delayed disembarking due to precautionary security checks.
“The safety and security of its passengers and crew is always easyJet’s highest priority and we would like to thank passengers for their understanding.”
