A British teenager faked a bomb threat on an EasyJet flight, leading to a Spanish fighter jet escorting the flight to its destination.
The 18-year-old was arrested and could face a hefty fine for the hoax threat, officials said.
On Sunday, the teen prankster was traveling aboard EasyJet flight EZY 8303 from London to Menorca with five other friends when the incident occurred, according to Business Insider.
A video shared online showed a Spanish F A 18 Hornet intercepting the EasyJet plane after the bomb threat was made on social media. The Spanish fighter jet was filmed tipping its wings, a gesture that indicates that the pilot should follow them.
A passenger was heard saying something in the video.
The Spanish fighter jet escorted the plane until it reached the holiday island destination just before 5 p.m. local time. The flight was about 30 minutes behind schedule.
Passengers aboard the flight were held on the runway for nearly four hours as officials conducted security checks with sniffer dogs. All the luggage was checked as well.
The 18-year-old hoaxer was arrested and spent a night in jail. He may have to pay for the entire bill to cover the costs of the special operation triggered by his fake bomb threat.
According to The Guardian, the Civil Guard has arrested an 18-year-old British national as the author of a crime of public disorder in Mahon in Menorca. The control tower at Menorca Airport was alerted to a bomb threat on a plane headed for London to the island's capital, Mahon, which was still in the air and near the airport. The threat was said to have been sent on a social media platform. Once the plane landed, it was taken to an area away from the main terminal and other aircraft. The statement continued with the help of the Civil Guard, which organised a special operation that consisted of mobilising bomb disposal experts as well as sniffer dogs and other officers who created a safe perimeter around the plane.
The teenager was behind the attack, and officials were able to confirm it was a false bomb threat, according to a spokesman.
EasyJet confirmed that their London-to- Menorca flight was escorted by military aircraft while landing in Menorca and experienced delayed disembarking. The safety and security of its passengers and crew is always EasyJet's highest priority, and we would like to thank passengers for their understanding, the airline spokeswoman said.
The 18-year-old responsible for the fake bomb threat could face a fine of around $59,900 50,000 according to My London News.