FIGHTER jets had to be scrambled to escort a plane into Stansted Airport this morning.
The alarm was raised after the pilot of the Etihad Airways plane, which was travelling from Abu Dhabi to Heathrow, reported a disturbance on board.
Essex Police later arrested a 37-year-old man, a British national, following the incident on the Airbus A340, which can seat up to 375 passengers.
A spokesman for the constabulary said: “The pilot reported a disturbance on board and a passenger making threats. It was nothing to do with terrorism.
“It was just a passenger who might have said something in the heat of the moment. He said something that was construed as a threat and taken seriously.”
A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said: “Typhoon aircraft were launched this morning to escort a passenger aircraft due to an incident on board. The aircraft landed safely at Stansted Airport.”
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