Plane bomb hoax suspect sectioned

The man whose suspected bomb hoax note led to two RAF Typhoon jets being scrambled to escort a passenger plane to land has been sectioned.

An emergency procedure was launched by police and the military after the 47-year-old man handed a note to cabin crew claiming there was a device on board a Qatar airways flight, carrying 282 passengers and crew.

Manchester Police have been questioning the man since the incident on Tuesday afternoon and confirmed he has been sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

A spokesman said: "Following his arrest he was assessed by medical staff and again by a mental health team.

"He was subsequently sectioned to allow for a fuller assessment and appropriate treatment."

After the plane landed at Manchester Airport on Tuesday afternoon armed police surrounded it, then boarded and arrested the man. They searched the Airbus A330-300 and said it was safe.
Passengers said they could see the RAF jet outside the window of the plane, which was landed and taken to an area away from other aircraft while officers searched it.
Aurang Zeb, 60, who was returning from a holiday to his home in Bradford, said: "I thought there was something wrong because there was a jet flying so near."
"Then I saw all the police with guns. Lots of police everywhere.
"Kids were crying, some people looked very worried because of rumours there's a bomb on the plane."
Nine incoming flights had to be diverted to other airports following the incident.