Egypt Plane Diverted From New York After Passenger Discovers Threatening Letter Inside Toilet
British fighter jets escorted an EgyptAir plane from Cairo that was bound for New York to an emergency landing in Glasgow, Scotland after a BBC producer, who was a passenger, discovered a threatening letter on the aircraft, BBC reported.
BBC producer Nada Tawfik was travelling with her 2-year-old daughter and said she found the note, which was written in pencil on a napkin, inside the sink about three hours into the flight. Tawfik said she immediately reported it to the cabin crew, who then locked the toilet.
"It almost looked like a child's handwriting or someone who has very sloppy handwriting, but it was very alarming especially these days when everyone is so concerned about safety on flights," Tawfik told BBC.
"I said to one of the stewardesses 'I don't know if this is a prank,' they said no, it can't be a prank," she added.
Police Scotland reportedly confirmed a suspicious note was found on the plane and will interview all passengers on board. The plane was moved to an isolated part of the airport, away from the passenger terminal in the mean time.
The BBC's James Shaw, who was outside the airport, said the plane was thought to have been surrounded by between 10 and 15 police vehicles and fire engines were on stand-by.The aircraft was carrying 326 passengers, who have been waiting on the plane for more than three hour at Glasgow Prestwick Airport. The Boeing 777 was travelling to JFK International Airport.
An eyewitness allegedly told the BBC that he saw two RAF Typhoon fighter jets escort the plane into the airport.
"There are no reports of anyone injured," a spokesperson said.
A statement on the airport's website said there were no disruptions to any other flights.