Police investigation after passenger starts fires on Monarch flight
West Midlands Police are investigating allegations that a passenger deliberately started two fires in the toilet of a Monarch flight from Birmingham to Sharm El Sheikh.
According to reports in the Birmingham Mail, police in Egypt were waiting for the A321 aircraft when it landed and eyewitness reports suggest a suspect was questioned on arrival.
Cabin crew managed to put out the fires but the aircraft was left unserviceable.
This meant the return flight, ZB473, was delayed for nearly 24 hours and the airline had to put up passengers in hotels overnight.
One passenger told the Birmingham Mail that the ‘idiot’ responsible was abusive to passengers and crew while being escorted off the plane.
West Midlands Police said no one was hurt, no arrests have been made and investigations continue.
Monarch Airlines confirmed that an incident took place on Flight ZB472 on August 27.
"The A321 aircraft, which was carrying 201 passengers and 7 crew landed safely in Sharm el Sheikh where local police were in attendance," said a spokeswoman.
"UK authorities have been notified and are dealing with the matter. As the alleged incident is the subject of a police investigation, we are not in a position to comment further."
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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