A protection officer for UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has been suspended from duty after leaving a gun on a plane returning from the US.
The Glock 19 pistol was found by a cleaner at Heathrow after the United Airlines flight, from Washington DC, had landed, around 6am on Friday.
It’s the second reported incident this year where a security officer has left a gun on a flight.
In February, a special protection officer for former PM David Cameron was suspended after leaving his pistol in the toilet on a British Airways New York-London flight.
In the latest incident, Raab had been travelling back from Washington DC, where he’d been discussing a UK-US trade deal.
The Sun reports police were called to the United Airlines aircraft after the gun was discovered in its holster on a seat.
A Met Police statement said: "We are aware of the incident on a flight into the UK on Friday, 18 September and we are taking this matter extremely seriously.
"The officer involved has since been removed from operational duties whilst an internal investigation into the circumstances is taking place."
A source told the Sun the officer had taken off the firearm while sorting out passports and preparing to escort Mr Raab off the overnight flight, after it landed at Terminal 2.
In February’s security alert, involving David Cameron, the gun was found alongside the officer’s own and the former prime minister’s passports near the sink in the WC cubicle of a BA aircraft.
It was reported at the time that the passenger who found the weapon and documents was upgraded to business class.
