At London Stansted Airport, armed police detained three men for allegedly planning a bomb hoax on an easyJet aircraft to Amsterdam.
Shortly after 7.40 p.m. on Wednesday, “specialist police” boarded the jet in response to allegations of a “security risk on a plane on the ground.”
As dozens of other planes were left hovering the skies above, the runway had to be shut down for 50 minutes while the A319 passenger airliner was transferred to a “safe place.”
Due to the interruption, six incoming planes had to be diverted, while other flights had delays of up to two hours.
“Our officers have worked swiftly and resolutely to address a security alert on board an EasyJet aircraft at Stansted, bound for Amsterdam, and arrest three persons,” Essex Police said in a statement.
Just after 7:40 p.m. on this day, “We got a call reporting a security issue about a jet on the ground at the airport.”
It said that as they conducted their investigations, the jet was relocated to a safe area.
The runway was only shut down for a brief period of time, minimizing broader disturbance and enabling a swift complete reopening of the airport, it was said.
“Special officials boarded the aircraft and removed three guys who have all been detained on suspicion of fabricating a bomb hoax.
“After searching the aircraft, we are certain there is nothing to worry about on board,” they said.
Numerous planes arrived and departed from the airport up to two hours later than expected as a result of the drama.
A airplane scheduled to leave from London Stansted for Amsterdam is presently parked on a distant stand as police undertake further security checks, according to a statement from Stansted Airport earlier this evening.
“The runway at the airport was briefly closed but is now completely open.”
The runway was shut down for 50 minutes between 7.45 and 8:35 p.m., according to a spokesman who subsequently talked with MailOnline.
Six incoming planes were diverted to different airports at that time.
Only a few days before, police made an arrest in connection with the Jet2 bomb scare, which they say was caused by a bogus phone call from Turkey and necessitated the use of RAF fighter planes to intercept a passenger airliner and compel it to make an emergency landing at London Stansted.
After the A321 aircraft was forced to divert to Stansted by two Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon planes last week, terrified passengers recounted scenes of mayhem and terror aboard the trip from Dalaman, Turkey, to Manchester.
Up to 220 people, including young families, were held captive inside the plane for up to two hours as armed police surrounded the aircraft and searched it for a bomb.
Detectives reported the arrest of a guy in his 30s and claimed they were cooperating with Turkish officials to handle the panic as a fake.
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