Posted on 09/26/2004 8:54:52 AM PDT by traumer
A plane has landed safely at Stansted Airport in a major security alert. An unspecified number of RAF planes were scrambled after Olympic airline flight OA411 from Athens to New York asked to be diverted to Stansted.
It landed at 1529 GMT and the RAF planes have now returned to base after the incident was concluded "safely", according to the MOD.
All 301 passengers and crew have been evacuated safely and the plane is now being comprehensively searched
'Full emergency conditions'
A spokesman for Stansted Airportsaid the plane landed under "full emergency conditions."
The BBC's Athens correspondent Richard Galpin told BBC News 24 the incident happened after an elderly man called a Greek newspaper anonymously and told them there was a bomb on board.
The paper called the police, who called the airline. No code word is believed to have been used.
All 290 passengers and 11 crew members have been taken off the plane.
The RAF is not releasing any more details of how many of its planes were involved for security reasons. An MoD spokesman said the pilot contacted air traffic controllers for help.
Officials contacted the Department of Transport and then the MoD gave the go-ahead to escort the plane.
A spokesman for the Department for Transport said the aircraft "is on the ground and being searched as part of a standard response".
"It is not believed to be anything out of the ordinary at this stage."
"These are rehearsed procedures which have swung into action.
"Fortunately nothing has exploded, if indeed there was a bomb on board, but we take all threats seriously."
If it is a crank call and the caller is identified, he is in for more trouble than he dreamed possible.
"No code word is believed to have been used."
Huh?...
Athens, Greece has always been a soft underbelly of air traffic....
"No code word was used". This I believe means that the caller was not thought to be from a major terrorist group. All the major groups have established a "code word" with news agencies and possibly law enforcement units as well.
The secret pass word, nee "code word", establishes the authenticity of the information given to the news/law enforcement agency.
Keep in mind that the Athens airport of years agon is no longer in use for these flights.
The new airport is a modern facility.
When you ENTER the country they xray your bags AGAIN.
I have been back and forth and was there during the olympics.
I would submit that ANYPLACE that is not the USA is an underbelly.
There are two odd points about this. 1. the know who called. 2. This is the national airline of Greece not an american airline.
November 17.
Perhaps but the leadership is in jail.
If it is them then they will be the "terrists" who conuld not shoot straight.
If you recall their last effort resulted with one of their own blowing himself up when building the bomb.
I wonder ifthis is paralympic related.
BTW nice name, welcome.
efxaristoume para poli!
Incompetant old man; seems to fit the Nov. 17 profile.
So was there a bomb, or do they still not know?
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