A missile that came within 300 metres of a plane carrying British tourists to Sharm el-Sheikh was “probably a flare”, found investigators.
The near miss involving a Thomson jet carrying 189 passengers happened on 23 August, about two months before a Russian plane crashed in Egypt last weekend, killing 224 people.
The Department for Transport (DfT) said its investigation concluded it was not a “targeted attack”, while Thomson said there was “no cause for concern” for further flights.
Tui Group, which owns Thomson, said the DfT investigation “concluded that it was not a targeted attack and was likely to be connected to routine exercises being conducted by the Egyptian military in the area at the time”.
A Tui spokesman added: “Their view also at the time was that it was probably a flare. As a result there was no cause for concern. It was safe for Thomson Airways to continue its flying programme to Sharm el-Sheikh.”
According to the Daily Mail, the pilot took evasive action and landed safely, but the holidaymakers were not told about the incident.
The paper quoted a source as saying: “The pilot was in the cockpit and saw the rocket coming towards the plane. He ordered the flight turn to the left to avoid the rocket, which was about 1,000ft away.
“Another Thomson plane was also flying into [Sharm el-Sheikh] at the same time and saw the rocket.
“The crew were told the rocket was from an Egyptian military exercise, but with what has happened there is a lot of fear. The incident left staff petrified.”
The official spokesperson for Egypt’s foreign affairs ministry, Ahmed Abu Zeid, on Saturday refuted claims by the Mail regarding the incident.
Preposterous allegations by @MailOnline regarding UK plane 'avoiding Egyptian missile' in August are completely inaccurate 1/3
— Egypt MFA Spokesman (@MfaEgypt) November 7, 2015
Incident involved GROUND-TO-GROUND fire exercise in military base few km off Sharm airport, no ground-to-air firing involved whatsoever 2/3
— Egypt MFA Spokesman (@MfaEgypt) November 7, 2015
Egypt & UK govs fully aware that plane was in no danger. Airliners previously informed of military exercise & instructed of procedures 3/3
— Egypt MFA Spokesman (@MfaEgypt) November 7, 2015
