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Russian fighter jets disrupt UK passenger flights
Passenger flights were disrupted on Wednesday when two Russian military planes flew within 25 miles of UK airspace, said the Foreign Office.
While refusing to give details of the flight disruption, the Foreign Office said typhoon fighters were scrambled from RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Coningsby to shadow the Russian jets.
BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Beale said the two Russian Tu-95 Bear H bombers travelled from the north, past the west coast of Ireland and to the English Channel before turning and going back the way they had come.
The two Russian planes did not enter UK airspace and Russia’s ambassador, who was called to explain the presence of the fighter jets, dismissed the patrols as ‘routine’.
However, the Russian pilots did not file a flight plan, did not have their transponders switched on and they weren’t in communication with air traffic controllers. The entire operation lasted 12 hours.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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