15 Moroccans are on the run after faking illness on plane and forcing it to land in Majorca before running onto the runway as doors were opened for medical staff
- Air Maroc flight diverted so passenger suffering diabetes could be taken off
- Police trying to locate people who ‘fled’ aircraft while normal activity suspended
- Flights bound for island being diverted to Menorca, Ibiza and Spanish mainland
- Moroccan man taken to Majorca’s Son Llatzer Hospital said to have disappeared
Majorca’s Palma Airport has been closed following a reported runway invasion by passengers on a flight that had to make an emergency landing.
Around 20 people on an Air Maroc flight are said to have left the aircraft after it diverted to the holiday island so a passenger suffering diabetes could be taken off the plane.
The plane at the centre of the drama was heading from Casablanca in Morocco to Istanbul in Turkey.
A companion of the 34-year-old Moroccan man who was taken to Majorca’s Son Llatzer Hospital after claiming he was ill and forcing the aircraft to divert to the holiday island, was on Friday night said to have disappeared from the medical centre.
Majorca’s Palma Airport has been closed following a reported runway invasion by passengers on a flight that had to make an emergency landing
Local reports said the passenger at the centre of the health scare had been given a clean bill of health by doctors.
The other passengers police are still understood to be looking for – said to number between 10 and 20 – forced their way out of the aircraft when the doors opened so the ‘sick’ passenger could be rushed to hospital.
Police are trying to locate the people who have ‘fled’ the aircraft while all normal activity is suspended.
Flights bound for Majorca are being diverted to Menorca, Ibiza and the Spanish mainland while the incident is dealt with.
Margot, 25, from London, told MailOnline: ‘I’m on a plane and have been stuck on the runway for two hours as the airport has gone into lockdown.
‘Just before we were due to take off it was announced that a plane flying from Morocco to Turkey made an emergency landing due to a passenger having a diabetic fit.
‘As the plane landed 24 people pushed past medics and security and ran off the plane. The police are now trying to find them.’
Around 20 people on an Air Maroc flight are said to have left the aircraft after it diverted to the holiday island so a passenger suffering diabetes could be taken off the plane
Air traffic controllers said on a Twitter feed: ‘Queues at Palma and possible diversions.
‘Planes bound for the airport have been stopped for security reasons.
‘It seems a plane has landed and there could be passengers from the flight on the runway.’
The alarm was raised just before 8.30pm local time on Friday.
It was not immediately clear if the incident has affected any flights heading to and from the UK or Ireland.
Spanish airports authority Aena confirmed: ‘Palma de Majorca airport has suspended temporarily its operations following an incident after a plane landed.’
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