GO 737 "intercepted" by French Mirage
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GO 737 "intercepted" by French Mirage
Fighter tracks holiday 'hijack' plane
London 26 October 2001
British tourists were caught up in a mid-air drama when a French warplane homed in on their plane at 30,000ft after air traffic controllers lost contact with it.
The Mirage fighter, armed with missiles, flew alongside the Boeing 737-700 for 10 minutes, close enough for the 126 passengers and five crew to see the pilot's head moving.
One terrified woman reportedly cried: "Oh my God, it's going to be like New York again."
Reports today said the warplane was sent up by the French air force when the Go airline holiday jet temporarily lost radio contact with air traffic controllers as it flew over France en route from Malaga, Spain, to Stansted airport.
Passengers described their shock as the fighter appeared 100ft away from the Boeing's left wing-tip. Father-of-three Rene Dobbs, 47, a pub-owner from Margate, said: "People were crying and swearing, trying to work out what was going on. Some of them thought we were going to be shot down. No one could believe what was happening.
"One woman exclaimed 'Oh my God, what the hell's happening? Is the plane going to be shot down?' Another asked me 'Have they come to protect us or shoot us down?' People were crying and swearing."
Cabin crew reassured passengers and, after radio contact was re-establishedthe warplane was called off. Go said the plane's instruments were not at fault and has asked for an explanation from French and Spanish air traffic controls.
A French air ministry source said: "A phone conversation was intercepted by our intelligence indicating the Go airliner was to be the target of a terrorist attack." Another source said it was a false alarm.
Mr Dobbs said: "If we'd known about a suspected terrorist attack at the time we'd have been petrified. It was a blessing to us in that situation not to know."
His wife, Elaine, said: "It was very scary. For a few horrible moments I thought this was it. What with what happened in America, the worst flashes through your mind when you see a military jet next to you in midair."
The holiday flight landed on time in Stansted following the incident on Monday.
London 26 October 2001
British tourists were caught up in a mid-air drama when a French warplane homed in on their plane at 30,000ft after air traffic controllers lost contact with it.
The Mirage fighter, armed with missiles, flew alongside the Boeing 737-700 for 10 minutes, close enough for the 126 passengers and five crew to see the pilot's head moving.
One terrified woman reportedly cried: "Oh my God, it's going to be like New York again."
Reports today said the warplane was sent up by the French air force when the Go airline holiday jet temporarily lost radio contact with air traffic controllers as it flew over France en route from Malaga, Spain, to Stansted airport.
Passengers described their shock as the fighter appeared 100ft away from the Boeing's left wing-tip. Father-of-three Rene Dobbs, 47, a pub-owner from Margate, said: "People were crying and swearing, trying to work out what was going on. Some of them thought we were going to be shot down. No one could believe what was happening.
"One woman exclaimed 'Oh my God, what the hell's happening? Is the plane going to be shot down?' Another asked me 'Have they come to protect us or shoot us down?' People were crying and swearing."
Cabin crew reassured passengers and, after radio contact was re-establishedthe warplane was called off. Go said the plane's instruments were not at fault and has asked for an explanation from French and Spanish air traffic controls.
A French air ministry source said: "A phone conversation was intercepted by our intelligence indicating the Go airliner was to be the target of a terrorist attack." Another source said it was a false alarm.
Mr Dobbs said: "If we'd known about a suspected terrorist attack at the time we'd have been petrified. It was a blessing to us in that situation not to know."
His wife, Elaine, said: "It was very scary. For a few horrible moments I thought this was it. What with what happened in America, the worst flashes through your mind when you see a military jet next to you in midair."
The holiday flight landed on time in Stansted following the incident on Monday.
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<< A French air ministry source said: "A phone conversation was intercepted by our intelligence indicating the Go airliner was to be the target of a terrorist attack." >>
And the first thing I get to know of it will be a Mirage parked on the left wing. I don't blame the French but that would certainly liven up my day. It also frightens a bunch of punters fartless and does nothing for our industry.
And the first thing I get to know of it will be a Mirage parked on the left wing. I don't blame the French but that would certainly liven up my day. It also frightens a bunch of punters fartless and does nothing for our industry.
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Heard the same happened to an Airtours aircraft over France about a week after the New York atrocity.
Missed his call sign a few times and bingo, fighter on your wing.
I think the Kestrel R/T call was, “could you ask the fighter to turn his transponder off” playing havoc with his TCAS no doubt.
Reply from ATC “negative Kestrel, you will be escorted to the on your route to the FIR boundary”.
No further incident was reported.
Missed his call sign a few times and bingo, fighter on your wing.
I think the Kestrel R/T call was, “could you ask the fighter to turn his transponder off” playing havoc with his TCAS no doubt.
Reply from ATC “negative Kestrel, you will be escorted to the on your route to the FIR boundary”.
No further incident was reported.
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Old news reported here on PPRuNe on 24th October 
http://www.pprune.org/cgibin/ultimat...c&f=1&t=016262
http://www.pprune.org/cgibin/ultimat...c&f=1&t=016262
