Egypt plane makes emergency landing in Scotland

A plane travelling between Egypt and the US has made an emergency landing at a Scottish airport.

The aircraft was escorted to Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire, by Typhoons from RAF Leuchars during its flight from Cairo to JFK Airport in New York.

A spokesman for Prestwick Airport said it landed about 2.30pm but the airport is continuing to operate as normal, with flights continuing since the Egyptair plane landed.

Police are in attendance on the runway and described it as an “ongoing incident”.

Transport in the area has been disrupted as officers closed roads near to the airport.

Plane forced to land at Prestwick remains under guard from the police: pic.twitter.com/LTTRCO8QW7

— Clyde 1 News (@Clyde1News) June 15, 2013

BBC employee Nada Tafik is on board the plane and said she found a note in a toilet apparently threatening to start a fire.

She told BBC News: “I’m actually the one who found the note in the rest room. When I went in to change my daughter about three hours into the flight, I found a note by the sink saying ’I set this plane on fire’ with the seat number 46 D written on it.

“So I immediately went to the crew and told them about it."

Police confirmed a suspicious note was found on the plane and all passengers are to be interviewed.

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 and police are currently making arrangements for the 326 passengers to disembark.

“All passengers will then be interviewed by police.”