An easyJet flight was intercepted by a Spanish fighter jet after a bomb threat was allegedly made by a British teenager on board.
Video footage taken by a passenger on the commercial flight appears to show an F18 fighter jet flying close to easyJet’s flight from London Gatwick to Menorca on Sunday.
The Civil Guard confirmed that Menorca’s airport control tower had been alerted to a bomb threat made on social media by an 18-year-old British man, prompting a special operation.
After the plane landed in Mahon, the island’s capital, the flight was taken to a separate area from the main terminal and subjected to bomb disposal experts and sniffer dogs.
The Civil Guard has since concluded that the bomb threat was a hoax. The 18-year-old has now been arrested and is expected to face a bill which will cover the costs of the police operation.
A Civil Guard spokesman said: “The Civil Guard arrested an 18-year-old British national as an alleged perpetrator of an offense against public order in Mahon in Menorca.
“Yesterday the control tower at Menorca airport was alerted to a bomb threat on a plane flying from London to the capital of the island of Mahon, which was still in the air and close to the airport. The threat was allegedly sent on a social media platform.
“After the plane landed, it was taken to an area away from the main terminal and other planes. The Civil Guard organized a special operation that consisted of mobilizing bomb disposal experts, as well as tracking dogs and other personnel, who created a safe perimeter around the plane.
“Passengers were disembarked and established protocol was 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 passengers as witnesses.” They were taken to a police station so officers could clarify the situation.
An easyJet spokesman said: “EasyJet can confirm that flight EZY8303 from London Gatwick to Menorca was escorted by a military aircraft on landing in Menorca and delayed disembarkation due to 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.”
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