Two men arrested after RAF jets escort passenger plane to emergency landing at Stansted

A PASSENGER plane carrying more than 300 people was diverted to Stansted Airport after reports two men allegedly tried to force their way into the cockpit.

The passenger plane is being diverted to Stansted Airport by an RAF Typhoon The passenger plane is being diverted to Stansted Airport by an RAF Typhoon

RAF Typhoon jets were scrambled to escort the Pakistan International Airlines plane from its flight path to Manchester to the Essex airport at about 2.30pm this afternoon.

According to one of the passengers, the aircraft's cabin crew said two men had repeatedly tried to get into the cockpit.

Umari Nauman told Sky News: "The cabin crew informed us that basically they tried to come into the cockpit a few times and because they had been asked not to do that they got into a bit of an argument with the crew and made a few threats."

She said all the passengers had been ordered to leave their possessions on board before leaving the plane.

Ms Nauman also said helicopters escorted the aircraft before landing.

The plane, which had 308 people on board, was flying from Lahore in Pakistan to Manchester before being diverted ten minutes before it was due to land.

A spokesman for Essex Police said the two men were removed from the plane once it had landed.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "A Typhoon aircraft has been launched to investigate an incident involving a civilian aircraft within UK airspace."

He added that the Typhoon is from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire.

Stansted, plane, diversion, Essex, StanstedThe flight path of the Pakistan International Airlines plane, showing its diversion to Essex

Stansted Airport, EssexStansted Airport is in Essex

Two men, aged 30 and 41, have been arrested on suspicion of endangerment of an aircraft.

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