RAF fighters were scrambled to intercept a flight from Nairobi to Heathrow that was diverted to Stansted Airport on account of a “potential security threat”. The Kenya Airways Boeing 787 landed safely and was met by Essex Police. A Stansted spokesman said the plane was then escorted to a remote parking stand, with operations at the airport proceeding as normal once again. The incident happened at roughly 15:45 BST.
An MOD spokesperson said that RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft were launched from RAF Coningsby to investigate a civilian aircraft approaching the UK, out of an abundance of caution. The spokesperson emphasised that the airline was in contact with air traffic controllers throughout the process, and that after landing at Stansted, the incident was then passed over to civilian authorities “under their control”.
Essex Police confirmed that they were attending an incident at Stansted Airport after a flight from Nairobi to Heathrow was diverted there. The airport remained open. A Kenya Airways spokesperson said the company had conducted a thorough risk assessment with security authorities in both Kenya and the UK after its headquarters received an alert of a potential security threat on board flight KQ100.
The airline’s crew was fully informed of all necessary precautions, according to the spokesperson, to ensure the safety of crew and passengers alike. No details were provided regarding the nature of the potential security threat, and it was not immediately clear whether passengers had left the aircraft upon landing at Stansted
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