Boy, 14, from Bolton questioned after hoax threat prompts RAF jets to intercept flight to Manchester Airport
Typhoon fighter jets were scrambled from Lincolnshire to intercept the Qatar Airways flight on Friday evening. The aircraft landed safely and the teenager, who was not on board, is "assisting officers with their inquiries."
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A 14-year-old boy from Bolton is being questioned by police after a hoax threat to a Qatar Airways flight heading to Manchester Airport prompted RAF Typhoons to be scrambled.
NATS, the UK's air traffic control service, received the threat at about 6pm on Friday. The Ministry of Defence confirmed that Typhoon jets were scrambled from Lincolnshire to intercept the aircraft.
The flight landed safely and there was no threat to passengers or crew, Greater Manchester Police confirmed.
The teenager, who was not on the flight, has been identified and is "assisting officers with their inquiries."
What did police say?
Chief Inspector Gary Homa said: "This type of behaviour is completely unacceptable. The safety of the public is always our top priority and every report of this nature is treated extremely seriously."
He added: "Hoax calls can cause significant disruption, divert vital emergency service resources and create unnecessary concern for passengers, crew and the wider public."
He said: "Thankfully, this incident concluded safely, but making false reports is not a prank and can have serious consequences. We will always investigate incidents of this kind thoroughly and take robust action where offences have been committed."
Frequently Asked Questions
- What happened to the flight?
- The Qatar Airways flight landed safely at Manchester Airport without incident, and police confirmed there was no genuine threat to the passengers or crew.
- Who made the hoax threat?
- Greater Manchester Police have identified a 14-year-old boy from Bolton in connection with the false alert. He is currently assisting officers with their inquiries.
- How did authorities respond to the threat?
- Following the alert to UK air traffic control, the Ministry of Defence scrambled RAF Typhoon fighter jets from Lincolnshire to intercept the aircraft.