RAF jets escort 'unresponsive' plane to Cardiff Airport

• 3 hours ago
 
• From the sectionSouth East Wales

Jump media player

Media player help

Out of media player. Press enter to return or tab to continue.

Media captionJac Osborne filmed the moment the jets flew off after escorting the plane to the airport

Two RAF jets were scrambled to escort a private plane into Cardiff airport after it lost radio contact.

The Typhoons were launched from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire to identify an "unresponsive civilian aircraft", the RAF said.

Communications were re-established and the aircraft was safely escorted to Cardiff Airport, a spokesman added.

The Challenger 300 jet left the airport at 19:20 GMT, thought to be heading to its original destination, Dublin.

Cardiff Airport said the plane had temporarily lost radio contact.

Image copyrightPeter Howlett

Image captionPeter Howlett captured this clear image of the planes over Cardiff

Image copyrightPeter Howlett

Image copyrightIan Grinter

Image captionOne of the RAF jets escorting the plane to Cardiff, as seen by Ian Grinter from his garden in Rhoose, near Cardiff Airport

"As a precautionary measure the aircraft was escorted into Cardiff Airport as a safe place to land," it said.

The airport added that it was open and operating as normal.

It is understood that one passenger and two crew were on board the private jet.

Image copyrightPaul Clarke/Twitter

All the main emergency services sent crews to Cardiff Airport at about 16:30 BST, including seven fire appliances. Police and ambulance also attended.

The sonic boom caused by the RAF jets was heard across Oxfordshire.

Image copyrightIan Grinter

Image captionMr Grinter also took this photograph from his garden in Rhoose, near Cardiff Airport

Image copyright@HattonWillow

Share this story About sharing