By IRNA,
London : A British Airways (BA) flight had to return to London two hours into its journey after a terror scare over an American passenger, it was revealed Monday.
The Boeing 747 with 318 passengers on board was bound for Mexico City, but was ordered back to London’s Heathrow Airport by US authorities because of what was described as “data discrepancy” concerning the 55-year-old unnamed American.
A security source told The Sun newspaper that the latest incident, which comes after an alleged bomb plot on a transatlantic flight to Detroit on Christmas Day, was very unusual.
“This is the first time anyone can recall a British flight being banned from US airspace,” the source said.
“It shows how nervous the Americans are when it comes to us. They describe the UK as ‘London-istan’ and think it’s a hotbed for fanatics. Even though the suspect had a US passport, they simply do not trust anyone coming from Britain,” he was quoted saying.
It is understood that the American passenger was escorted off the plane at Heathrow and his bags searched under the Terrorism Act.
The suspect was said to have been handed over to immigration officers, but it was not known if he was later released.
A BA spokesman confirmed that flight 243 returned to Heathrow on Friday afternoon due to a data discrepancy with a US citizen.
“The passenger was asked to leave, which he duly did, and collected his bags. The plane was refuelled and left later that day,” he said.
A Department for Transport spokeswoman insisted that there had been “no breach of security at Heathrow as a result of this incident.”