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A PASSENGER jet has been forced to make an emergency landing at Prestwick Airport this afternoon.

Four typhoons hunted down the Mexican aircraft after it caused concern to authorities.

The Volaris XA-VLX flight, which was en route from France to Iceland, was escorted through the skies by the military to Prestwick.

The jets escorted the plane down on to the runway where they were met by armed officers.

(Image: Paul Chappells)

Ayrshire Police Division say the aircraft was diverted around 14:40 today following reports of a temporary loss of communication.

Police closed roads around the airport shortly after 15:00 today and the jet landed safely at 15:57.

Volaris is a Mexican low-cost airline based in Santa Fe.

The jet, an Airbus A8320, is currently on the tarmac stationed at the airport's emergency runway having been escorted to safety by police.

Police say a full emergency response has been put into action at the airport with services in attendance to establish the full circumstances.

A Prestwick Airport spokesperson said: "We can confirm that an aircraft has been diverted to Glasgow Prestwick Airport following a temporary loss of communications.

"Some roads surrounding the airport have been closed as a precautionary measure. This is an ongoing Police Scotland incident."

A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said: "An aircraft has been diverted to Glasgow Prestwick Airport at 2.40pm following reports of a temporary loss of communication.

"A full emergency response has been put into action at the airport. The aircraft landed safely at 3.57pm. Emergency services are in attendance to establish the full circumstances."

A sonic boom was heard in the Highlands as RAF jets raced to intercept the civilian aircraft and an RAF spokesman said: “Quick reaction alert Typhoon aircraft were launched today from RAF Coningsby and RAF Lossiemouth to identify an unresponsive civilian aircraft.

"The Typhoon aircraft were authorised to transit at supersonic speed for operational reasons. Any inconvenience caused to local residents is regretted.

"Communications were re-established and the aircraft has been safely escorted by the Lossiemouth aircraft to Prestwick Airport.”

It was later established that there were no passengers on the flight. Seven crew members were in charge of the 'factory flight' that was taking the new aircraft from Tolouse in France to Mexico via Iceland.

However, the plane lost contact with air traffic control sparking the mid-air drama.

In the wake of 9/11 no aircraft can be allowed to continue a flight once it has lost contact with the ground.

That ensured that the military jets were sent to bring the civilian aircraft back to Prestwick.

However, once on the ground the police established that the seven-man crew posed no danger to the aircraft or the public and that a communications failure was to blame for the incident.