A Kenya Airways 787 traveling from Nairobi to London Heathrow was escorted to an alternate London airport by Royal Air Force fighter jets. Then armed police officers in tactical gear boarded the aircraft with search dogs. What was the nature of the “security threat” that prompted the diversion in the first place?
Kenya Airways 787 Escorted To London By Fighter Jets, Armed Police Officers Board Aircraft
On Thursday, October 12, 2023, KQ100 took off from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi at 8:59 am bound for London Heathrow (LHR). The flight was operated by a 787-8 jet.
Two hours into the flight, Kenya Airways received an alert concerning a “potential security threat” onboard. A spokesperson for Kenya Airways explained:
“KQ management in conjunction with the security authorities of the Government of Kenya and the United Kingdom carried out a thorough risk assessment of the threat. The crew on board were briefed, and all safety and security precautions were taken to ensure the safety and security of our crew and passengers on board.”
As the aircraft approached the United Kingdom, pilots were instructed to divert course to London Stansted Airport (STN). Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter jets appeared and escorted the jet to Stansted. A RAF spokesperson later confirmed:
“RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft from RAF Coningsby were launched as a precaution this afternoon to investigate a civilian aircraft that was approaching the UK. The civilian aircraft remained in contact with air traffic controllers throughout, and was escorted to Stansted Airport where it landed safely. This incident is now under the control of the civilian authorities.”
Police In Tactical Gear Search Aircraft
Upon pulling up to a remote stand at Stansted, masked police officers in tactical gear with automatic weapons boarded the aircraft with dogs. A search was performed, but no one was pulled off and the police officers shortly left the aircraft. IDs were checked.
Passengers were eventually allowed to disembark, though the plane later flew to Heathrow in order to reposition for the return flight to Nairobi that evening.
What Prompted The Threat Onboard KQ100?
While it is still unclear what prompted this whole incident, llan Kilavuka, the CEO of Kenya Airways, seems to suggest there was a person of interest onboard to UK authorities:
“There was suspicion of some of the people on board. But nothing to do with a bomb or anything like that. The precautions that we were taking was because that threat had been raised and so we just wanted to make sure that there was nothing untoward.”
My hunch is that one of the passengers onboard shared a name with someone on a no-fly or terrorist watchlist and British authorities wanted to make sure it was not the same person. It is not clear, though, why a diversion was necessary to check on one or more questionable passengers.
CONCLUSION
There are questions surrounding a Kenya Airways diversion to London Stansted and why police officers in riot gear boarded the aircraft. It appears suspicions over at least one of the passengers onbaord drove the diversion and search, though UK authorities have failed to clarify the matter.
Were you on KQ100? What was your experience like?
image: Marie Merritt / Facebook
@Matthew, Stansted airport is designated by the UK Government as the airport of diversion for things like hijackings, terrorists events and stuff like due to the ability to isolate an aircraft well away from everything else.
Coming back from London this week I have to say I was shocked how Africans and Muslins took over the country without a shot being fired. Not sure why they even care at this point who is coming into their country.
Definitely my biggest surprise about the place. And to think this invasive wasn’t even covered in our news.
It’s true that here in the UK we have no shortage of muslins, fine worsted wool, cashmeres etc.
Ha! Auto correct must be political!
They are ”here” because the Brits were “there”.
European colonialism keeps on giving. The UK PM is Indian. The Scottish FM is Arab. The former Irish PM is half-Indian. The London mayor is Indian if going back before the creation of Pakistan.
Meddling around the world has consequences.
It is SOP under the NASP for inbound aircraft with threats to be routed to Stansted. The fighter escort was probably a bit overkill, but the rest of it seems to be by the book.
I suspect they thought they found some wanted/banned Somalis or Arabs on board the flight but then found out they weren’t on board after having checked the physical ID of the passengers. Wouldn’t be the first time the vetting of passenger lists led to a freak out over identity confusion.
I expect more of this kind of thing to happen with expanded use of remote surveillance cameras being used for facial recognition technology.
On the pure commercial aviation part of the story, I’d be well annoyed if I were to be forced off the plane at Stansted having booked a flight to Heathrow, only for the plane to take off and reposition to Heathrow straight afterwards.
Presumably they would have put them in a coach that got there more quickly than the plane.
By the way, Stansted is better positioned than LHR for those who need to use a train to go North of London. Having to go up and down the tube with luggage is never any fun.