Athens to New York Airliner Intercepted by RAF Anonymous Bomb Threat, Forced To Land at Stanstead

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Athens to New York Airliner Intercepted by RAF Anonymous Bomb Threat, Forced To Land at Stanstead

Posted: 9/26/2004 8:21:27 AM EDT

www.command-post.org/gwot/2_archives/015541.html

September 26, 2004
Anonymous "Bomb" Call Diverts New York Bound Plane
Breaking story…
—-

Sky News has the story:

Tornado jets have escorted a New York-bound Olympic Airways passenger jet into Stansted Airport after a bomb alert.
Sky’s James Matthews said the pilot called through a ‘mayday’ because he believed there was a bomb on board.

“The plane was flying from Athens to New York when it was diverted to the Essex airport.

The passengers have been escorted from the plane.

It is not clear yet whether a device has been found.

A Stansted airport spokesman said the plane was diverted under “full emergency conditions”.

An RAF rescue helicopter is in the vicinity, Matthews said.

“It does not get very much more serious than that,” said Matthews.

“The pilot thought it was serious enough to call in an escort. This may be the first time this has happened in British airpspace. The alert is very much full scale.

“My understanding is that he would have said there was nothing less than there is a bomb on the plane.”

Update: BBC is reporting that the incident is “over” but there are no details on that so far.

Update:

A spokesman for Stansted Airportsaid the plane landed under “full emergency conditions.”
The BBC’s Athens correspondent Richard Galpin told BBC News 24 the incident happened after an elderly man called a Greek newspaper anonymously and told them there was an bomb on board.

The paper called the police, who called the airline. No code word is believed to have been used.

The plane, which was carrying 290 passengers, landed safely.

The RAF is not releasing any more details of how many of its planes were involved for security reason.

Posted: 9/26/2004 8:39:22 AM EDT

[#1]

At least we know there is one other counrtry that is concerned about terrorism as much as we are.

Posted: 9/26/2004 8:53:32 AM EDT

[#2]

The UK remembers what happened the last time a 747 was blown up over their country

Posted: 9/26/2004 9:32:26 AM EDT

[#3]

Great, now an idiot can go to an obscure payphone and ground airplanes.

Posted: 9/26/2004 9:38:28 AM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
The UK remembers what happened the last time a 747 was blown up over their country

Yes, we do. I remember it well, in fact I've been past Lockerbie on several occasions and you can see right where it hit by the huge gouge in the ground and the new houses.

Heartbreaking.

Actually, Stanstead is only 20 minutes from me, I shoot on land that borders it.
Does this mean I'm actually on the frontline in the WOT now?

Mark

Posted: 9/26/2004 9:39:19 AM EDT

[#5]

It sounds as if this came from the pilot himself, not from someone phoning in a threat. If I heard the info correctly earlier on the news, the "pilot" himself was the one who believed there was a bomb on-board.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Athens to New York Airliner Intercepted by RAF Anonymous Bomb Threat, Forced To Land at Stanstead

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