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Search forBristol flight in mid-air bomb scare
Tuesday, September 23, 2008, 08:00
One hour into Sunday’s flight, which left Bristol International Airport at 11am, the Eurocypria flight was diverted to London’s Stansted airport.
Essex Police say they received information from the crew that there was a potential threat to passengers on board the flight, although they would not release details about the nature of the threat.
One passenger told of the plane being surrounded by police as first the baggage, then the passengers were unloaded.
There was eventually found to be no cause for concern, but the journey did not continue until 5pm, a delay of six hours, after which the plane flew to Crete.
Passengers were forced to stay there overnight before another flight took them to their destination in Cyprus the following morning.
Katie Pearce, 26, from Fishponds, was on board the flight with her 13-month-old daughter Kodie.
She called home shortly after the flight stopped at Stansted to tell her family what was going on.
Her father Richard, 53, from Mangotsfield, said: “Obviously she was really worried at first because they had been in the air for an hour when the concern started and they were quite a way away from the terminal.
“It seems like everything is OK now, but it was a very concerning at first and a bad start to a holiday.
“The fact that they had to spend a night in another destination is far from ideal as well.”
No one from Eurocypria was available for comment yesterday.
A spokesman for Essex Police said: “Essex Police received information from the crew of an aircraft that there was a potential threat to passengers on board a flight which was from Bristol.
“The Eurocypria flight landed shortly after 1pm on Sunday, September 21, at Stansted Airport, with the airline taking the decision to land the aircraft.
“Passengers and crew were met by officers and security staff.
“It was soon established that there was no validity in the threat. Following a delay due to security measures, the passengers were able to continue with their onward journey.”
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