JEDDAH, 24 February 2003 — A 25-year-old Spanish passenger flying with her parents on a Qatar Airways flight from Doha to London on Saturday was arrested in connection with a security hoax, Arab News has learned.
Idrees M. Abdulmalik, the airline’s top management executive based in Jeddah, told Arab News yesterday that the Spanish woman, who was en route to London from Katmandu via Doha, reportedly told two British passengers on the flight that an explosive device was on board the aircraft.
The Britons informed the cabin crew and the A330-200 aircraft was immediately diverted safely to Damascus.
“Syrian authorities searched the plane but did not find any explosive device on board. They arrested the Spanish passenger,” he said. Abdulmalik added that the Spaniard was found to be mentally unstable.
Reporting another incident, he said a cleaner had found a note on flight QR514 while in Cairo which advised that the A320 aircraft should be searched.
“Egyptian authorities searched the aircraft and found nothing unusual. The flight has since returned to Doha safely,” Abdulmalik said.
