Passengers were cleared from the plane and luggage was being inspected bag by bag

A passenger jet today spent several hours on the tarmac at Stansted Airport after a bomb threat was issued.

The Air India Boeing 777 was forced to land shortly after 10.30am after being escorted by RAF Typhoon fighter jets from over the Irish Sea.

Flight AI 191 from Mumbai, India, to Newark, US, turned around shortly after flying over the Isle of Man.

People on the plane said they were in it for the long haul with sandwiches and water being handed out.


This afternoon they were all removed from the plane and they were taken into the main airport.

Police said the plane remained in an isolated area of Stansted.



Twitter user @DinoGoel said: ‘We are still here inside the holding area at Stansted. Sandwiches are being served.

People were ordered off the plane onto the tarmac at Stansted so a thorough examination could take place (Picture: PA)

The flight from Mumbai to Newark was escorted by two RAF fighter jets (Picture: PA)

Police searched the plane thoroughly throughout the afternoon (Picture: AFP)

‘Police still hasn’t given the all clear. Seems like a few more hours.’

Nirupam Nanavaty, who is also travelling on the delayed flight, said: ‘There are children and also old and infirm passengers here.’

Richelle DCosta is travelling with her four-year-old son.

Her husband, Marwin Saldanha, said: ‘I just got off a video chat with them. Security is sweeping all bags right now it seems.

‘They know there was a security scare for which the checks are happening.

‘Not sure how much more they know – the airlines are keeping mum.

‘She has a connection to Pittsburgh, so definitely going to miss that.’

The flight pictured as it is escorted towards Stansted Airport (Picture: PA/@MrsJambobee)

Passengers were taken off the plane when it landed at Stansted (Picture: Geoff Robinson)

Passengers were given water as they waited for the plane to be checked (Picture: Geoff Robinson)

The Air India plane pictured as it was guided in at Stansted Airport (Picture: Alamy Live News)

The jets were launched from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire to escort the aircraft.

Air India had tweeted that the plane made a ‘precautionary landing’ due to a bomb threat, but later deleted it.

A loud bang was heard by several residents of Derby just after 10am, believed to be a sonic boom caused by the two RAF jets escorting the plane to the airport.

The runway at Stansted has reopened and is fully operational while the aircraft is searched with sniffer dogs at the airport

An RAF spokesman said: ‘The RAF can confirm Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon aircraft were launched this morning from RAF Coningsby to intercept a civilian aircraft.

‘The aircraft was safely escorted to Stansted Airport. The Typhoon aircraft were authorised to transit at supersonic speed for operational reasons; any inconvenience caused to local residents is regretted.’

One of the fighter jets that was scrambled to escort the Air India aeroplane in (Picture: PA)