Flight returns after phone rings

2006-08-14 11:02

London - A British Airways flight carrying 231 people from London to New York turned around mid-flight and returned to London's Heathrow airport after a cellphone started ringing, the airline said.

"Flight BA179 has returned to Heathrow as a precautionary measure," a spokesperson for BA told AFP.

"A cellphone, which none of the passengers appeared to own, was located on board the aircraft."

Bomb plot

Britain imposed severe restrictions on hand luggage on board aircraft -including a ban on all electronic equipment - on Thursday after police said they thwarted a plot to bomb US-bound jets in mid-flight.

The alleged plot involved smuggling liquid explosives disguised as drinks or medicine and detonate them with a mobile phone or other electronic device.

"The captain assessed the situation with the BA security team at Heathrow and it was decided that it was safe to continue. However, the captain decided to return to Heathrow as a precaution.

'Safety is our number one priority'

"The captain explained his decision to the 217 passengers on board the aircraft. The aircraft will be security-searched at Heathrow before it departs again for New York this evening.

The flight was also carrying 12 cabin crew and two flight crew, the spokeswoman said.

"We apologise to customers for the inconvenience, but their safety is our number one priority and we will always err on the side of caution," she said.

Early on Monday Britain reduced its security threat level from "critical" - to which it was raised on Thursday - to the "severe" level where it has been for most of the past year.

- AFP