Fighter jets scramble to intercept packed airliner after passenger set up terrifying WiFi hotspot name

FIGHTER jets scrambled to intercept a packed airliner in mid-air after a passenger set up a “bomb threat” WiFi hotspot. An emergency alert was issued early yesterday morning after the Turkish Airlines flight TK1853 took off from Istanbul. Fighter jets from France rushed to action under a Quick Reaction Alert (QRA), Spanish news outlet El Nacional reports. The flight was handed over to Spanish jets as it entered the airspace. A “threat was detected” as the plane passed over the Mediterranean Sea, in Italian territory. According to initial reports, one of the passengers created an internet hotspot on board the plane with a chilling network name. Read More World News It included the phrase “I have a bomb, everyone will die”, Turkish Airlines Communication Director Yahya Üstün and Catalan authorities said. There were 148 people on board at the time. Immediately spotted by the captain, a skwark 7700 code - code for a general emergency - was declared by the crew. Flanked by military aircraft, the plane diverted to Barcelona heading for El Prat Airport. Most read in The US Sun The aircraft circled several times before landing on the runway in an isolated section of the airport to minimise threat to other aircraft. Passengers’ luggage was checked as they were evacuated off the flight and ushered into the contingency room in the airport. Bomb disposal experts and sniffer dogs from Spain’s Civil Guard police force swarmed the plane. No signs of explosives were found on board. The Catalan Fire Service has deployed five crews to the area in case they need to be activated. Efforts are underway to notify families and passport control is being carried out to prevent irregular entries into the country, local media reports. The incident has not disrupted other flights coming in or out of El Prat airport. Based on current information, the threat is believed to have been a false alarm. A probe has been launched to determine who made the threat. The terrifying incident comes after all flights were grounded at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport by a bomb threat targeting a United Airlines plane. Eerie audio captured the moment an air traffic controller instructed the pilot to make a sudden 180-degree turn on the tarmac moments before take-off. In the recording, the controller said, “United 512, I’m sorry to have to do this to you. We’ve got to turn you again, sir. “We have an unconfirmed bomb report for your flight. “We’ve got to get you away from the airport. Make a 180, taxi ‘Mike’ and hold short Runway 1.” The FBI confirmed that its Washington Field Office’s National Capital Response Squad was on the scene to investigate a bomb threat, but no hazards were found.

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