F/A-18 Intercepts EasyJet Flight After Bomb Hoax

Video shows a Spanish Air Force fighter rocking its wings near an EasyJet Airbus A319 enroute to Menorca.

Tuesday, July 05, 2022 at 04:50 PM ET

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A Spanish Air Force Boeing F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet plane taxiing to the runway during the NATO Tigermeet 2019. [File photo: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

An EasyJet flight from London Gatwick to Menorca was intercepted by a Spanish Air Force F/A-18 Hornet following a fake bomb threat made online by a passenger.
An 18-year-old male passenger was identified as the culprit, arrested upon landing, and held for court appearance.
The incident resulted in the flight being diverted to a secure area, all passengers and luggage undergoing screening, and significant operational delays, with the accused expected to be billed for the police operation.

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An EasyJet flight en route from the United Kingdom to the island of Menorca was intercepted by a Spanish Air Force F/A-18 Hornet over the weekend after a passenger aboard the flight made a fake bomb threat online, according to reports.

An 18-year-old man on board the two-hour flight from London Gatwick (EGKK) to Menorca (LEMH) was accused of making the threat. He was apprehended and spent at least one night in jail while awaiting a court appearance, a Spain Civil Guard police spokesperson told Reuters.