A Thomson flight carrying 189 passengers had to dodge a
rocket as it approached Sharm El Sheikh, it has been reported. The London
Stansted flight was said to have come "within 1,000ft" of the deadly
missile and only avoided it after the pilot took evasive action.
It eventually landed safely and the passengers on board were
not told about the brush with certain death. The incident came two months before a Russian airliner
crashed after taking off from the Egyptian resort on Saturday killing all 224
on board.
It is thought a bomb planted by terror group Islamic State
is the most likely cause of the tragedy prompting the UK to suspend all
commercial flights to and from the resort on Wednesday.
The Department for Transport has confirmed the incident
involving the British jet which happened on August 23. A source said:
"The first officer was in charge at the time but the pilot was in the cockpit and saw the rocket coming towards the plane.
"He ordered that the flight turn to the left to avoid the rocket, which was about 1,000ft away," reports Mail Online.
It is thought the five members of cabin crew only found out
about the incident after landing and were offered the chance to stay the night
in Egypt. However they are said to have chosen to head straight back
to the UK. The source added that the missile that nearly struck the
Thomson jet was also spotted by another of the carrier’s planes as it
approached Sharm El Sheikh.
It is reported they were told the rocket was from an
Egyptian military exercise but now think otherwise following Saturday's
incident.
No comments