Summit jets order Sudan airliner out of Italy

Italian fighter jets escorted a Sudanese passenger jet out of Italian airspace during the Nato-Russia summit today - the only major security incident reported during the landmark meeting.

Italy had deployed 15,000 security and logistical personnel, a navy frigate and a dozen aircraft to guard the 20 world leaders attending the summit at the Pratica di Mare air base 18 miles south of Rome.

Two Tornado fighter jets flying as part of the security force escorted the Sudan Airways jet out of Italian airspace after it failed to establish radio contact with air traffic controllers, an Italian military official said.

The Airbus 320 had been flying over the tiny island of Ponza on a regularly filed flight plan from Cairo to Paris at about 1 pm - about midway through the summit.

It was escorted into French airspace after military officials considered it’s failure to establish radio contact ‘‘abnormal behaviour,’’ the official said.

An AWACS surveillance plane, flying constantly overhead during the course of the summit, monitored the incident, the official said.