Why did British fighter jets force Kenya Airways’ plane to redirect to another airport?
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British police have confirmed that a Kenya Airways flight bound for London’s Heathrow Airport was ordered to land at Stansted Airport in northeast London.
Kenya Airways flight KQ 100 was directed to land at a different airport by two British military jets, RAF Typhoon, for safety reasons on the afternoon of October 12.
The reason for this action was reported to be a security threat, with local media outlets stating that bomb disposal teams were seen rushing there.
“We are currently dealing with an incident at Stansted Airport. A flight from Nairobi to Heathrow was redirected to Stansted this afternoon (Thursday, October 12). The airport is still open,” said a statement posted by Essex Police on their website.
The statement also mentioned that there was a threat that led to the redirection of the plane.
Last night, Kenya Airways issued a statement that was not much different.
“The KQ administration working with security officials from the governments of Kenya and the UK has conducted a thorough assessment of the threat.
The flight crew has been informed, and all relevant measures have been taken to ensure the safety of our staff and passengers,” part of the statement read.
The plane was intercepted in the air by British Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter jets after being alerted immediately. It is believed that the warning was issued while it was flying over French airspace.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “Fighter jets from the Royal Air Force stationed at Coningsby were scrambled as a precaution this afternoon to investigate a civilian aircraft approaching the UK.”
“The civilian aircraft was in communication with the country’s air traffic control, and it was escorted to Stansted Airport where it landed safely.”
Flightradar24 data, an international air travel tracking website, also indicated that the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner took off from Nairobi at 09:18 AM, 13 minutes behind schedule.
The plane was flying at an altitude of 17,000 feet over the UK before descending and heading north along the east coast of Kent.
The plane continued its descent over the North Sea coast and then Essex, landing at Stansted Airport at 4:45 AM East Africa Time.
“We were all surrounded by police. They were all armed, wearing black shirts, and asking for identification. The captain didn’t say anything,” said a woman on the plane.
On Monday, according to BBC Somali, another Kenya Airways flight traveling between Nairobi and London Heathrow required emergency medical assistance after one of the passengers fell ill, according to the company.
“The flight crew assisted by two doctors and one nurse provided medical aid to the patient, and the captain announced that urgent medical assistance was needed while communicating with the aviation control department,” the company’s statement said.
Source – BBC News Swahili
With a knack for captivating storytelling, Amos Lumbasi has a talent for crafting narratives that resonate with readers. He combines meticulous research with a captivating writing style to create articles that are both informative and enjoyable to read.
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