Police remove passenger from plan on suspicion of carrying 'explosive device'
Armed police removed a passenger from an East Midlands flight on Aug. 21 after receiving a report of an "explosive substance," reporting that no device was found but maintaining the threat was "viable."
British police escorted a man off a plane headed for Turkey on Monday after he called them and claimed to have a potential explosive device aboard the vessel.
"Officers worked with airport staff and with the aircraft crew to provide an immediate response to the report. In the interests of public and officer safety, armed officers were also deployed to the area of the aircraft," a Leicestershire police spokesperson told reporters.
Police delayed the flight from East Midlands Airport to Antalya for three hours while they investigated the plane after receiving a call at 5:15 p.m. from a man who warned them he had an explosive device with him, local outlet Derbyshire Live reported.
Video captured by a passenger aboard the flight showed the moment that armed police escorted the suspect off the plane, during which the man did not appear to resist. Two women follow him but remain on the plane talking with the police officers while the suspect gets into a police vehicle waiting on the tarmac.
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Police escort a 49-year-old man off the plane, whom officers connected to a phone call they received just before scheduled takeoff. (Phillip Lowe via Storyful)
"The aircraft was on the ground at the time of the incident," the spokesperson said. "Officers worked with airport staff and with the aircraft crew to provide an immediate response to the report."
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Aircraft sit on the apron at East Midlands Airport, part of the Gateway Industrial Cluster, and one of the announced freeports across the UK on March 3, 2021 in Derby, United Kingdom. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Police arrested the 49-year-old man and searched the plane, finding no such device and decided that they found "no suggestion that the threat made is viable." Police released him on bail while continuing to investigate the situation.
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Police place the 49-year-old suspect into a car waiting on the tarmac while they search the plane for the alleged explosive. (Phillip Lowe via Storyful)
Officers "fully searched" the plane using bomb sniffer dogs, but determined that "it was not deemed that evacuation of the aircraft was required," the BBC reported. Police have not provided any motivation for the call or threat.
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The flight departed after police felt confident that they had thoroughly searched it. The plane arrived "safely" according to airliner Jet2.
"We would like to apologize to everyone onboard for any inconvenience or upset caused by this unforeseen incident," a Jet2 spokesperson said.
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