The president of Sierra Leone has been unable to attend a summit in London to discuss the Ebola crisis after his chartered plane experienced technical difficulties before taking off.

Ernest Bai Koroma was due to attend the international conference, organised by the UK and Sierra Leone governments, to discuss how the global community can provide an effective response to the crisis in West Africa.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and Development Secretary Justine Greening are also among those taking part in the global event at Lancaster House in central London.

A Foreign Office spokesman told The Independent: "Unfortunately the President of Sierra Leone is now unable to attend the Defeating Ebola conference.

"The chartered plane he was scheduled to fly on experienced significant technical difficulties prior to take off.

See the Ebola outbreak mapped Show all 7 1 /7 See the Ebola outbreak mapped See the Ebola outbreak mapped 25 March 2014 This outbreak of the Ebola virus first emerged in the Guéckédou region of Guinea, at a crossroads with both Liberia and Sierra Leone See the Ebola outbreak mapped 31 March On 31 March the WHO confirmed the outbreak was now international, spreading first into Liberia's northern-most Lofa region See the Ebola outbreak mapped 27 May The virus spread to Sierra Leone at the end of May - just as agencies were hoping the worst was over See the Ebola outbreak mapped 27 July In Sierra Leone the virus boomed, and then it spread to Nigeria when the Liberian diplomat Patrick Sawyer flew from Monrovia to Lagos See the Ebola outbreak mapped 9 August The Nigeria cases sparked fears around the world, and there have now been deaths in Spain and Saudi Arabia involving people who had travelled to West Africa. The numbers of cases continue to rise See the Ebola outbreak mapped 17-20 September In mid-September, Senegal confirmed its first case linked to the Ebola outbreak, a development the WHO described as a top priority emergency. Numbers of cases continued to grow exponentially in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, as experts warned they could number one million by January if not contained See the Ebola outbreak mapped 8 October Two cases of Ebola have now been reported in the US and Europe - the first times the virus has been contracted among health workers outside Africa

"We are currently exploring alternative ways for the President to participate in the conference."

Government foreign travel advice for Sierra Leone says there are "narrowing commercial options" for flights to the country.

It says British Airways has suspended flights to Sierra Leone and Liberia until December 31 due to the public health situation.

Air France has also suspended flights to Sierra Leone while a number of other airlines have suspended flights to Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea, the Government's foreign travel advice website says.

Video: Idris Ebla's parents were from Sierra Leone

Experts have warned the outbreak in West Africa has developed at an unprecedented scale.

It has been claimed the current rate of infection stands at 1.7, meaning for every ten people who contract the virus, a further 17 will be infected.

More than 40 British military personnel and aid experts are working in Sierra Leone following a request for assistance from the country's government and the World Health Organisation.

More than 160 NHS staff are also due to travel to Sierra Leone following a call for volunteers to help fight the disease earlier this month.

Experts believe doctors and scientists have a 90-day window to find a medical solution and halt the spread of Ebola.

The death toll from the highly infectious condition, which has spread across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, has reportedly risen to more than 3,000.