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3w ago

RAF Typhoons Scramble to Escort Qatar Airways Flight to Manchester

A police finding that the alert was a hoax highlights vulnerabilities in how security notifications trigger armed responses.

Typhoon FGR4 ZJ947 returns to RAF Coningsby after the intercept. (Image credit: Luke Tuffs)
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Overview

  • Two RAF Typhoon jets launched from RAF Coningsby on Friday, July 24 after National Air Traffic Services reported a security notification for Qatar Airways flight QR23 from Doha to Manchester.
  • The fighters intercepted the Boeing 777 over Nottingham, made visual contact with the crew and escorted the aircraft for part of its approach before being stood down.
  • The flight landed safely at Manchester Airport that evening and there was no threat to passengers or crew, with emergency services placed on standby as a precaution.
  • Greater Manchester Police said the notification was later judged to be a hoax and a 14-year-old boy from the Bolton area has been identified and is assisting enquiries.
  • Civil aviation authorities and Qatar Airways will investigate the cause of the notification and the reported communications issue because hoax alerts can divert emergency resources and prompt procedural reviews.