Plane diverted to Glasgow Prestwick Airport after fire note
- Published
The plane was escorted by two RAF Typhoon fighter jets to the airport following an what was described as an incident on board
An Egyptair plane from Cairo to New York has landed at Glasgow Prestwick Airport after being diverted.
BBC producer Nada Tawfik, a passenger on board, said she saw a note with the words "I'll set this plane on fire" and a seat number.
Egyptair flight 985 - which was travelling to JFK International Airport - touched down at around 14:30 BST.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed that RAF Typhoon aircraft were called following an "incident on board".
Det Supt Alan Crawford, of Police Scotland, said he would not speculate on whether the threat in the note was credible.
He said the plane's captain and crew decided to divert from their normal flight path after seeing the note.
An eyewitness told the BBC he saw the two fighter jets escort the Boeing 777 into the airport in Ayrshire.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed in a statement that Typhoon aircraft were called from RAF Leuchars and that "a passenger aircraft was diverted following an incident on board."
The aircraft was carrying 326 passengers who were allowed to start to disembark three hours after the plane landed.
Police have been carrying out interviews with them.
'Pretty tense'
Ms Tawfik, who was travelling with her daughter, who was under two years old, said she saw the note, which was written on a napkin with a pencil.
BBC producer Nada Tawfik who was on board said everyone was waiting for answers
"It almost looked like a child's handwriting or someone who has very sloppy handwriting, but it was very alarming especially these days when everyone is so concerned about safety on flights," she said.
She said it had been "very scary" and that the incident had created a tense situation on the flight, with passengers growing concerned - especially those with babies.
The plane has been moved to an isolated part of the airport, away from the passenger terminal.
Police Scotland confirmed a suspicious note had been found on the plane and that they would interview all passengers on board.
A spokeswoman said: "At around 1420 hours today an Egyptair aircraft flying from Cairo to New York was diverted to Prestwick Airport after a suspicious note was discovered on the aircraft.
"There are no reports of anyone injured."
A statement on the airport's website said there were no disruption to flights, which were operating as normal.
The A79 which had been closed in both directions next to the airport between the B739 Station Road junction and the Shawfarm Road junction, has now reopened.