Two men have been arrested by counter-terrorism police after a security alert at Stansted Airport.
A 34-year-old man from Kuwait and a 48-year-old man from Italy were detained by the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit soon after 7pm on Sunday, the Unit said in a statement.
The pair had arrived on a Ryanair flight from Vienna and were detained under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act, police said.
The plane was intercepted by RAF Typhoon jets following unconfirmed reports of a security threat on board.
A Ryanair spokesman said last night: “In line with procedures, the captain informed UK authorities and continued to London Stansted, where the aircraft landed normally and taxied to a remote stand where passengers disembarked safely.
“Passengers in London Stansted waiting to depart to Vienna were transferred to a spare aircraft to minimise the delay to their flight.
“This is now a matter for the local police.”
An RAF spokesman confirmed Typhoon fighter aircraft from RAF Coningsby were launched to intercept a civilian aircraft which was escorted safely to Stansted.
The men will now be questioned by the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit.
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