Kenya Airways plane from Nairobi intercepted before landing in London over security threat

Confirming the incident, Kenya Airways said the KQ Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was en route from Nairobi to London Heathrow.

Upon landing, the KQ plane, which was reportedly intercepted by fighter jets, was diverted to Stansted Airport in London for security clearance by U.K government security personnel. Stansted is the designated airport for dealing with security issues in the UK. 

According to Aviation news platform Simple Flying, the proximity of Stansted Airport to key Royal Air Force bases allows key resources to be swiftly deployed while the size of the location enables potential risks to be isolated from other areas.

Kenya Airways has confirmed that all crew onboard were briefed on the matter, and all safety and security precautions were taken to protect everyone onboard including the passengers.

“Kenya Airways PLC ("KQ") confirms that on Thursday, 12th October 2023, at around 10:30hrs, KQ Headquarters received an alert of a potential security threat on board KQ100 operating from Nairobi to London Heathrow,” reads the statement.

 “KQ management in conjunction with the security authorities of the Government of Kenya and the United Kingdom carried out a thorough risk assessment of the threat. The crew onboard were briefed, and all safety and security precautions were taken to ensure the safety and security of our crew and passengers on board.”

The reason for the diversion remains unknown, with local press reporting that bomb squads were seen rushing to the scene.

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner departed Nairobi at 9:18 am, after a 13-minute delay.