Taken from the BBC News site, this is the second this week!
A plane flying from Luton to Galway in the Republic of Ireland has been
diverted to Prestwick, after a note was found claiming a bomb was on board.
Staff at Dublin-based airline Aer Arann raised the alarm at about 2230 BST on Friday, shortly after take-off.
Flight RE 508 reached Prestwick, south-west of Glasgow, just before 2300, escorted by two RAF Tornado jets.
The plane’s 53 passengers and crew all disembarked safely. Police later confirmed the note was a hoax.
The passengers and crew were kept in the airport terminal while a bomb disposal unit searched the plane.
A Strathclyde Police spokesman said the flight would not leave until later on Saturday, with those on board given hotel accommodation.
Police confirmed no bomb had been found on the plane.
‘No details’
The spokesman said: “The plane has been searched and the result is negative.
“We cannot at this stage give any details as to the nature of the note. Investigations are continuing.”
It is the second flight in three days to be diverted to Prestwick.
On Wednesday a Ryanair flight from Paris to Dublin was also diverted there, after a steward was passed a note saying there was a bomb on board.
The plane, which was carrying 167 passengers including 71 children, was escorted to Prestwick by three RAF fighter jets.
A specialist team from the military bomb disposal unit were called in to search the aircraft, but no device was found.
By: Shadow1 - 16th April 2006 at 01:24
Incredible that people could be that stupid to do such a thing in these times. I can’t possibly understand how someone could push themselves to do this. Obviously, neither individuals really thought this through and I do hope that they will be caught in due time, although this could be a tough case to crack. These people need to be made examples to the rest out there so they can understand that a bomb threat is something not to be jocked about.
By: philgatwick05 - 15th April 2006 at 18:38
Phil a passenger no doubt found the note in their magazine as if the crew had found it the plane wouldnt have departed to Galway!
Ah OK I see now – thanks Andrew 🙂
By: andrewm - 15th April 2006 at 18:23
Phil a passenger no doubt found the note in their magazine as if the crew had found it the plane wouldnt have departed to Galway!
By: philgatwick05 - 15th April 2006 at 17:58
I don’t understand – how can the note have been passed in a magazine. The crew surely don’t check each magazine in between sectors?
By: Tartan Pics - 15th April 2006 at 17:04
Isn’t it possible for them to find out who was sitting in the seat the note was found on?
In an ideal world, yes, but. the note could have been placed by a pax on the previous flight, or anyone could place a note anywhere as they are boarding/exiting. Unfortunately, this type of thing is the easiest possible way to disrupt a flight, can’t see paper and pen searches taking place at the boarding gate!
By: lukeylad - 15th April 2006 at 17:04
Prestwick & Stansted are the designated airports for dealing with incidents of this nature.
Prestwick is also an incident airport?
I didn’t know that cheers.
By: redsquare - 15th April 2006 at 14:29
It should be easier than the Ryanair case to find the clown due to the allocated seating. What is that makes pepole do this? Does it just come naturally to be such a jackass or do you learn it somewhere?
As I said before, I’d love to be first in line to hang this guy(?) by his bits from a lampost 🙂
By: airband1 - 15th April 2006 at 13:43
Isn’t it possible for them to find out who was sitting in the seat the note was found on?
By: N5552.0W00425.9 - 15th April 2006 at 10:44
Sorry if i sound like an idiot saying this, but why did they divert to Prestwick when its up north.
Prestwick & Stansted are the designated airports for dealing with incidents of this nature.
By: Arabella-Cox - 15th April 2006 at 10:26
Sorry if i sound like an idiot saying this, but why did they divert to Prestwick when its up north.
Do they fly straight across or do they go north, hop across and head on towards galway?
By: Tartan Pics - 15th April 2006 at 10:03
Don’t think this is the last we will hear of this…..All too easy to pen a stupid note,to be found by crew, the alert HAS to be taken seriously,just in case!!! I hope there isn’t a “boy who cried wolf” case happens, whereby, a cabin crew member may disregard a note of this sort as a hoax,when it is not!!!
IMO, anything of this nature, bomb threats, hijacking, a/c in distress etc… should not be reported by the media, at least not till authenticity has been proved, clearly the muppet who done this on the Aer Arrann flight has seen the RYR story all over TV,Papers,Internet etc… and thought i could do that!!! and there will be more!!
By: Ren Frew - 15th April 2006 at 09:30
The imbeciles are at work again.
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April 15, 2006 at 9:23 am