RAF Jets Scrambled To Intercept Passenger Plane

Two Typhoon aircraft from RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire and a Voyager from Brize Norton were scrambled this morning to intercept a civilian aircraft from Bucharest that had lost communications.

The aircraft, a private plane, which contained three crew and no passengers, was met by RAF fighter jets over the North Sea and safely escorted to Birmingham International Airport where it landed at 7.28am.  

Belgian F-16 fighter jets initially accompanied the unresponsive 30-seater Saab 340A  plane before it entered British airspace. 

Pictures (above and below) show the RAF Voyager that was used to refuel the fighters more than 30,000ft above Rutland.

In a statement, an RAF spokesperson said:

“The Royal Air Force can confirm that Typhoon aircraft from RAF Coningsby, Lincs were launched this morning by Quick Reaction Alert mission to intercept a civilian aircraft that had lost communications. The Aircraft was safely escorted to Birmingham International Airport. 

The runway at Birmingham airport was closed for half an hour while the plane landed and one flight from Dublin was diverted to East Midlands as a result. 

A Birmingham Airport spokeswoman commented:

"We can confirm that a private Saab 340 aircraft inbound from Bucharest to Birmingham and carrying three crew encountered communication difficulties during a flight earlier today. In accordance with normal operating procedures the aircraft was intercepted by military jets on arrival into UK airspace and was escorted up to its scheduled arrival into Birmingham."

Cover picture courtesy of Fred Harley/Twitter.