Home Office forced to cancel deportation flight after migrant criminal swallows vape battery

He was taken to hospital where he was treated and returned to detention.

On Monday, the Home Office told The Independent it was supporting an investigation launched by contractor Mitie, which manages overseas deportations, over the incident.

A spokesperson for Mitie said: “This incident is currently being investigated. At this point, there is no evidence to suggest any wrongdoing or breach of procedure by our colleagues. Our priority remains the safety and wellbeing of those in our care.”

It is understood that the man was to be flown on a charter plane from the UK to Albania, before being taken on another flight to Egypt.

While the journey to Egypt was cancelled, the flight to Albania did go ahead as part of a Home Office deportation operation.

Such flights to the Balkan country are common, with Albanian nationals accounting for more than a quarter of enforced returns from the UK last year.

The cost of the cancelled journey from Albania to Egypt is unknown, as is when the man will be booked on a new flight, with the Home Office reluctant to provide further details on deportation operations.

This wasn’t the first time authorities have faced problems attempting deportations from the UK.

Last year, it emerged that Hadush Kebatu, a migrant sex offender who was mistakenly released from prison, was given a £500 payment after he threatened to disrupt his deportation flight to Ethiopia.

At the time, the government said the alternative was a “slower and more expensive process” – but the Conservatives called the decision to pay him an “absolute disgrace”.

Despite recent issues, the Home Office said this month that deportations of foreign national offenders, including murderers and rapists, were up 32 per cent, with more than 8,700 deported since government came into power.

However, last year, it was revealed the UK had paid migrants £53million to leave the country over the past four years, with a voluntary scheme offering them up to £3,000 as an incentive to return to their home country.

A total of 6,799 people took up the assisted return in 2024, an increase from 2,179 in 2022, according to Home Office data.

Just this week, it was revealed the compensation pay totaling some £500,000 was issued to migrants who had their phones confiscated by border patrol officers, on the grounds it was a breach of privacy rights.

January saw the fewest number of migrant small boat Channel crossings during the month since 2021, much attributed to the harsh weather conditions of Storm Chandra as opposed to anti-migration policy from the Labour government taking effect.