| Date: 03/08/2012 Time: 09:56:00 PM |
An RAF fighter jet tasked with defending the
Olympics against terror attacks was scrambled Friday after an aircraft lost
contact with aviation authorities, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said.
The Typhoon was sent to intercept the aircraft after air traffic
controllers lost contact early this evening.
But the jet was able to return to its base at RAF Northolt, west London,
shortly after taking off when communication was re-established with the pilot.
An MoD spokesman said it was at least the third time Typhoons have been
scrambled since the start of the Olympics on July 27.
He was unable to confirm the type of aircraft involved in this latest
incident but said it was flying outside London's restricted flying zone.
An MoD spokesman said: "A Typhoon was scrambled at 4.44pm to a report that
an aircraft was not in contact with air traffic control.
"The aircraft quickly re-established contact with air traffic control and
the incident was brought to an end."
The fighter jet returned to RAF Northolt early this evening, the spokesman
added.
Four Typhoon jets are on standby to intercept aircraft suspected of posing
a terror threat throughout London 2012. The fighters, which can travel at up
to 1,370 miles per hour, are normally based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire,
central England, and RAF Leuchars in Fife, Scotland to defend UK airspace but
have been stationed at RAF Northolt during London 2012.
It is the first time they have been based at the airfield since the Second
World War. |