EasyJet passenger pulls bomb prank, Spain raises F-18 fighter

Disturbance prevailed in Spainwhen authorities received a call about bomb by a passenger on her flight EasyJetcausing an F-18 fighter to take off and escort it aircraft at the airport.

According to Reuters, a British teenager on board the plane had made threats on social media to plant a bomb, police said today. So, the 18-year-old, who was traveling with five friends, spent the night in jail and is awaiting trial, a spokesman for Spain’s militia police said.

Footage of the incident shows an F-18 fighter flying close to the distinctive orange wingtips of the commercial airline’s A-319 aircraft, which normally carries between 120 and 150 passengers.

The fighter is seen performing manoeuvres, known in aviation as an indication that the other pilot should follow, while worried passengers can be heard discussing what is going on, with one woman asking: “Why is he doing this, is he just showing off?”

EasyJet flight EZY8303, which departed from London Gatwick Airport at 13:00, landed safely at Menorca Airport in the Balearic Islands about half an hour late, just before 17:00, and was escorted to a security area.

Upon disembarkation, the 18-year-old who had made the bomb threats was arrested, while other flights from Menorca were affected due to the incident.

An Easyjet spokesman confirmed that the flight was escorted by a military aircraft and there was a delay in disembarkation due to security checks, but did not elaborate on the cause.

“Passenger and crew safety is always Easyjet’s highest priority and we would like to thank passengers for their understanding,” he said.