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RAF jets escort Pakistan International Airlines flight to London Stansted Airport over security incident

Police say diversion due to disruptive passenger and 'not believed to be a hijack situation or terror matter'

Samuel Osborne
Tuesday 07 February 2017 11:47 EST
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The Pakistan International Airlines flight landed around 4pm after an almost 10 hour flight
The Pakistan International Airlines flight landed around 4pm after an almost 10 hour flight (RIZWAN TABASSUM/AFP/Getty Images)

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RAF Typhoon jets have escorted a Pakistan International Airlines flight into Stansted Airport because of a disruptive passenger.

PIA flight PK757 was headed to London Heathrow from Lahore before it was diverted.

Essex Police said the diversion was due to reports of a disruptive passenger on board and was "not believed to be a hijack situation or terror matter".

The Ministry of Defence said the jets were launched to intercept a civilian aircraft and escort it to Stansted.

An RAF spokesman said Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon aircraft from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire escorted the aircraft to Stansted Airport in Essex.

The flight landed around 4pm after an almost 10 hour flight.

A spokesman for Stansted said: "The aircraft is likely to continue its journey onwards to Heathrow today pending inquiries that the police are making into the individual on the aircraft."

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