Arrest made after Qatar Airways plane escorted by fighter jets to Manchester airport
A man has been arrested on the suspicion of making hoax bomb threat after an incident at Manchester airport.
The Qatar Airways Airbus A330, flight number QR23, was escorted into Manchester Airport by RAF fighter jets after "information received by the pilot about a possible device on board".
Greater Manchester police confirmed the arrest after the plane safely touched down and pictures from the scene showed a man in a green shirt being escorted from the plane.
"We don't know how genuine this threat is but it is absolutely vital we deal with the situation as a full emergency," police chief superintendent John O'Hare said at the time of the incident.
"As a result people will see the police and other agencies at the airport and on the airfield. At this time I would urge them not to be alarmed.
"Our response will be as comprehensive as it is proportionate, with the safety of those on board and in and around the airport our paramount concern," he added.
Emergency vehicles surrounded the flight when it landed (Source: Getty)
It is thought that many incoming flights were diverted to Leeds-Bradford and other airports as a precaution.
The plane was escorted by a Typhoon from RAF Coningsby Lincolnshire and has landed at Manchester. The plane was kept in an isolated part of the airport as the situation developed.
Passengers were transported away safely (Source: Getty)
Qatar Airways said in a statement:
Qatar Airways can confirm that flight QR23 from Doha to Manchester, an Airbus A330-300, landed safely at Manchester Airport ahead of its scheduled arrival time of 13:15. There were 269 passengers and 13 Qatar Airways crew on board.
The crew had received a threat about a possible device on board and #QatarAirways immediately took all the necessary precautions to alert British authorities. The crew is now fully assisting police at the airport with their inquiries. The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew is our top priority. As this is a matter of a police investigation, we cannot comment further at this time.