Kenya Airways Plane Diverted to Stansted Airport Over Security Threat

A Kenya Airways plane from Nairobi bound for London's Heathrow Airport was intercepted by air force fighter jets and diverted to land at Stansted airport on Thursday over a potential security threat.The Essex Police force said officers attended an "incident" at the airport, and established there was "nothing of concern" aboard the plane.The airport remained open throughout the incident.

RAF Typhoons Launched

The Ministry of Defence said Royal Air Force Typhoon fighters were launched "as a precaution this afternoon to investigate a civilian aircraft which was approaching the UK.It said the plane "remained in contact with air traffic controllers throughout, and was escorted to Stansted Airport where it landed safely."

Airline Received Security Threat Alert

The airline said in a statement that its headquarters had received "an alert of a potential security threat" aboard the plane. It said the airline and Kenyan and UK authorities "carried out a thorough risk assessment of the threat"."The crew on board were briefed, and all safety and security precautions were taken to ensure the safety and security of our crew and passengers on board, the airline said.

Boeing 787 Jet Landed Safely

Stansted said the Boeing 787 jet landed safely on Thursday afternoon and was parked at a remote stand, away from the terminal.Stansted is some 30 miles 40 km north of London, and is used for flights when there are security incidents because of its remote location.

The incident caused significant disruption to passengers on board the flight, as well as those at Stansted Airport. However, the swift response of the authorities and the airline ensured that the situation was resolved safely and without incident.