Thomas Cook flight MT2706 from Manchester to Sharm el-Sheikh diverted mid-air
A Thomas Cook flight from Manchester to Sharm el-Sheikh has been diverted off its course mid-flight.
Flight MT2706 had been heading to the Egyptian resort as part of efforts to help repatriate the thousands of British holiday-makers left stranded after the UK government suspended flights amid concerns that a Russian jet that crashed last weekend might have been deliberately blown up.
The plane was one of three due to bring Brits back home this evening as part of a limited operation, but it is thought it was turned around as it reached Albania. No passengers were on board.
Thomas Cook said in a statement: "The three remaining flights due to operate today will no longer do so. Once slots are made available to Thomas Cook Airlines, they will depart for Sharm el Sheikh to bring our customers home.
"We can confirm that we are making arrangements for any customers due to return on these flights to remain in their accommodation free of charge. Our team in destination are dedicated to ensuring that all customers are as comfortable as possible until such a time as they fly home, and we remain dedicated to offering them all the assistance they might need throughout this time."
Thomas Cook, which has cancelled all holidays to the region up to and including 12 November, is one of many holiday firms attempting to rescue trapped families, although Egypt today brought those efforts to a halt.
EasyJet has so far managed to get just two flights out of Sharm el-Sheikh today – each carrying around 180 people. It has urged customers who remain to see if they can extend their stay at their hotels, saying it has no clarity over when they will be able to return home.
Monarch has flown five flights to Sharm and will send two back, while just one British Airways plane has left.
Thomas Cook's share price was up 3.3 per cent in mid-afternoon trading.