PA mediaA Typhoon jet from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire was rushed to an Air India flight after a bomb was discovered on board.
Royal Air Force fighter jets scrambled to intercept a commercial airliner that had reported a bomb on board.
The Air India plane was circling over Norfolk before the Typhoon interceptor encountered it.
A Royal Air Force spokesperson said the alert ended without incident and the Boeing 777-300 “was released to proceed to its original destination”.
An Air India spokesperson confirmed there had been reports of a “bomb threat” but said: “The aircraft landed safely at Heathrow Airport and all passengers and crew disembarked.”
An audio recording of the airliner’s crew alerting air traffic control to a potential threat was recorded by a Dutch plane spotter.
In the video, the captain can be heard telling ground controllers, “There is a suspected bomb on board and we are requesting a priority landing.”
He continued, “There is a bomb threat. Air India Flight 129 is requested to descend.”
X An aviation enthusiast identified only by the username @EHEH_spotter admitted to the BBC that he recorded using a scanner.
A large sonic boom was reported across Norfolk as fighter jets scrambled to intercept the airliner.
BBC Radio Norfolk listeners reported hearing a loud bang at approximately 12:40 BST.
One of them, Chris, said via WhatsApp: “The sonic boom was scary at Weesenham! It definitely shook the ground.”
Gary texted: “I heard it in Cawston. It rattled the doors and windows. I looked outside thinking a truck had crashed into the workshop next door.”
ADS-B exchange
Screen capture showing apparent trajectories of Royal Air Force aircraft and airliners
The Air India plane changed course over the North Sea and circled several times over parts of Norfolk and Suffolk, Flightradar 24 said.
They were just off the Essex coast before heading to their destination when they encountered the RAF Typhoon.
An Air India spokesperson said: “Air India flight AI129 from Mumbai to London received a bomb threat on social media today. The aircraft landed safely at Heathrow Airport and all passengers and crew disembarked.” said.
“Our top priority is the safety of our passengers and crew, and we appreciate the assistance and assistance of local authorities extended to our passengers during this unexpected disruption.”
More than a dozen Indian flights have received hoax bomb threats since Monday, leading to long delays and diversions.
On Wednesday, an Air Akasa flight bound for Bengaluru was diverted to the capital Delhi following a similar hoax.
Several Air India aircraft have been affected by these seemingly malicious false alarms.
The company said in a statement: “We will cooperate fully with authorities to ensure that the perpetrators of these threats are identified and held accountable.”
A RAF spokesperson said: “We can confirm that this afternoon a RAF Coningsby Rapid Reaction Warning Typhoon fighter aircraft was launched to investigate a civilian aircraft.”
“After the interception without incident, the aircraft was released to proceed to its original destination under the direction of civil air traffic control. The incident is currently being handled under the control of civilian authorities.”
The Royal Air Force announced that the Typhoon had been authorized to fly at supersonic speeds for operational reasons.
