M1 closed near East Midlands Airport for Jet2 emergency Published duration 5 March 2017

image copyright Google image caption East Midlands Airport and Jet2 said the motorway was closed as a precautionary measure after the problem was logged

A section of the M1 was closed due to an "aircraft emergency" on a flight from Gran Canaria.

Police closed the motorway in both directions near East Midlands Airport to allow "a clear flight path" for the plane, which landed safely on Saturday.

Traffic was stopped between J23a and J24 at 21:30 GMT for about 20 minutes.

East Midlands Airport said the closure was "precautionary" after a Jet2 flight with 153 people on board alerted them to a suspected malfunction.

A spokeswoman for Jet2 said flight number LS670 called for assistance on its approach to the airport after the pilot noticed a "fault indication".

image copyright Getty Images image caption A spokeswoman for Jet2 said a flight from Gran Canaria, not pictured, called for assistance on its approach to land

She said the flight landed safely before being inspected.