A 37-year-old British national has been arrested following an incident on board an Etihad Airways flighted headed for the UK.
Two RAF Typhoon fighter jets escorted the passenger plane into Stansted Airport in Essex, which landed safely just before midday.
The man, who is understood to have made threats while on board, was arrested as police swooped on the plane which was travelling from Abu Dhabi to Heathrow.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Essex police said: “The pilot reported a passenger causing disruption on board and making threats.
“The plane was diverted to Stansted Airport where it landed just before midday (January 24, 2011).
“Police confirm that no one has been injured and the airport is operating normally.
A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said: “Typhoon aircraft were launching this morning to escort a passenger aircraft due to an incident on board.
“The aircraft landed safely at Stansted Airport.”
Etihad played down the incident, denying there was a serious threat.
A spokesperson for the Abu Dhabi airline told Sky News: “It was a question of inappropriate comments made on the flight and a disruptive passenger.
“There was no threat to the safety of the aircraft or the passengers.”
The arrest comes on the same day a bomb was detonated at Moscow’s Domodedovo airport – killing at least 31 people and injuring more than 100.
