
Passengers on TUI flight evacuated after bomb threat note in loo
Cabin crew members found the threatening note inside the toilet on the jet as it flew from Cardiff to the Canary Islands on Thursday morning.
They handed the note to the pilots, who then quickly diverted the Flight BY6422 to César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport in Lanzarote.
Once the plane landed, passengers were rushed off and bomb specialists were called to investigate.
No explosive devices were found and the bomb squad confirmed it was a false alarm while four departures at the airport were delayed.
Two F-16M jets from Air Base number 5 in Monte Real were also deployed as the note was found while the plane was flying over Portugal, the Portuguese Air Force said in a statement.
Passengers were told to identify their luggage when they got off the plane, according to the Canarian Weekly.
Air traffic controllers posted on X: 'The plane has been guided with the presence of firefighters to a siding where the passengers have had to identify their luggage.
'Landing and takeoff operations have been temporarily interrupted, which has caused some delays.'
A spokesperson for the Portuguese military said: 'With the F-16Ms already monitoring the situation to ensure the safety and good management of national airspace, the crew of the civilian aircraft decided to continue the flight to the destination airport, outside national territory.
'Upon leaving the national flight information region, responsibility passed to Spain, with the Portuguese F-16Ms carrying out the handover of the mission and subsequent return to Monte Real.'
Authorities are now investigating the incident to find out what happened on the plane. More Trending
TUI has been contacted for comment by Metro.
In a separate incident, a Ryanair flight crashed into a barrier shortly after landing Kalamata International Airport.
The Boeing 737 had landed at the airport on Wednesday morning from London Stansted Airport.
Passengers on flight FR6080 reportedly endured 'severe turbulence' during the three-and-a-half-hour flight.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
.jpg%3Fwidth%3D1200%26auto%3Dwebp%26quality%3D75%26trim%3D0%2C100%2C0%2C100%26crop%3D&w=3840&q=100)

Scotsman
3 hours ago
- Scotsman
where Tom added the pair took part in "prayers and pints at the idyllic Church-owned inn in the Highlands".
A video shows Ben and Tom on their 1,000-mile tandem bike challenge during which they ate, drank and slept in pubs. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Two comedians have completed a 1,000 mile journey from Land's End to John O'Groats on a tandem bike to save British pubs - stopping at nearly 100. Ben McFarland and Tom Sandham, together known as the 'Thinking Drinkers', finished their 'Great British Pub Ride' on July 3. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The pair began their journey on a two-wheeled, two-man tandem bike on Friday June 20 - and for two weeks only ate, drank, slept and stopped in British boozers. They decided to embark on the adventure after learning from the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) that around six pubs are closing every week in the UK. Tom said: "We've always loved pubs but the overwhelming warmth, generosity and goodwill that we've received on this journey has blown us away. 'It's been an incredible experience and we've met so many wonderful people on both sides of the bar'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad During the two-week pub pilgrimage, Tom and Ben cycled over 1,000 miles in total - and they visited at least four pubs every day. The pair said they had a wild experience, as they bumped into 'The Stig' in his local, enjoyed their first ever 'Wigan Kebab', stumbled into a thrash metal music festival in the highest pub in Scotland, and had some cake at the remotest pub in mainland Britain. Ben McFarland and Tom Sandham, together known as the 'Thinking Drinkers' at John O'Groats on their Great British Pub Ride. | Deft Productions / SWNS Ben and Tom rode on a tandem bike which they borrowed, yet had 'hardly ridden', from a man they met down the pub. Ben said: 'It's been a brutal bike ride, full of ups and downs, but it's nothing compared to the very real challenges facing the people running pubs up and down the country. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'People think pubs are just a place for a pint but, from Cornwall to the Cairngorms, we've seen that they are so much more than that - one in three visits to a pub doesn't involve an alcoholic drink. "At a time of increasing isolation and a growing mental health epidemic, pubs are proven antidotes to loneliness where people can forge genuine social networks - not online ones.' On their journey, Ben and Tom encountered publicans who provide yoga classes for the local community, warm spaces in winter for the elderly, barbershops and package delivery services - to name but a few. The pair said some of their favourite pubs they visited were the Salutation Inn, in Ham, Berkeley, as Tom described the boozer as a "wonderful wet led pub with great drinks and a lovely guy running it". Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Ben McFarland and Tom Sandham, together known as the 'Thinking Drinkers' at Havener's Bar and Grill in Fowley, Cornwall. | Deft Productions / SWNS The most remote pub in Britain His other favourite was the Crask Inn, in Lairg, the most remote boozer in Britain - where Tom added the pair took part in "prayers and pints at the idyllic Church-owned inn in the Highlands". Ben said he loved the Barkley Tavern, in Springfield, Wigan, because "the owner Debbie and her family breathed life back into a derelict boozer and provide so much help to their local community". He said: "I also enjoyed the Old Success Inn, in Penzance, as it was a cracking Cornish pub overlooking Sennen Cove - where our adventures began with some morning yoga on the terrace. "An instant hit was also the Kings Arms in South Zeal: a classic traditional village pub filled with welcoming locals and a lovely atmosphere." Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Ben and Tom said their ride helped them to understand the day-to-day difficulties publicans and landlords face; ranging from ever-increasing energy bills, business rates, impractical environmental levies and industry taxation levels far in excess of other European countries. Tom said: 'The costs for pubs to simply do business are far too high - based on turnover and profit, no other business sector in the economy is taxed so heavily and unjustly.'


Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
‘Best hidden gem' is underrated city with 'most beautiful castle' and huge lake
Tomar, a Portuguese town of 20,000 that sits slap in the middle of the country, may not deliver the simple seaside charm of some of the country's better-known holiday hotspots, but has plenty else to offer The data has been scraped, the numbers have been crunched, and the results are in. Tomar in Portugal has been named Europe's best-kept secret, and therefore the perfect place for an off-the-beaten-track holiday. If you're keen to ditch the tourist traps, then HomeToGo's Hidden Gem Index is a good guide. Its ranking is based on a mountain of data including accommodation cost statistics, search trends, and insights about food, scenery, and opportunities for adventure. Its off-the-beaten-path treasures include sun-soaked coastlines and breathtaking landscapes. That is certainly the case for Tomar, a Portuguese town of 20,000 that sits slap in the middle of the country. It may not deliver the simple seaside charm of some of the country's better-known holiday hotspots, such as those in the Algarve, but it has plenty else to offer. For one, it is a town of significant historical importance, replete with all of the architectural treasures and cobblestones you'd therefore expect. Tomar was built inside the walls of the Convento de Cristo, constructed under the orders of Gualdim de Pais, the fourth Grand Master of the Knights Templar in Portugal in the late 12th century. It was the last Templar town to be commissioned for construction and one of Portugal's historical jewels in the way it links the modern day back to a now ancient-feeling part of European culture. Its relevance on an international level continued until the 15th century when it served as a centre of Portuguese global expansion under Henry the Navigator. The riches that brought at that time are still visible today, especially in Tomar's cross-shaped medieval centre. There you will find the town's main church, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, and traditional shops lined with pleasant stores. In Tomar's cafés, the delights of the local pastries can be appreciated: almond and squash queijadas (cheesecakes) and the traditional Fatias de Tomar (Tomar slices), made with just egg yolks and cooked in a bain-marie. Flame fans will want to visit the Convent of São Francisco, which is home to Museu dos Fósforos or the Match Museum. Given that Portugal regularly hits the mid-30s during the summer months and is currently suffering from wildfires, a location to cool off is key. Happily, Tomar has the Castelo de Bode, one of the largest reservoirs in the country. There you can go on a pleasant cruise with lunch on board, or choose from a wide range of water sports, as well as visit the islet on the River Tagus where Almourol Castle is located, or the riverside town of Dornes. A break from the cultural beat can be found at Mouchão Park, home of the Mouchão Wheel. The wooden water wheel is a landmark of the city and evokes the time when mills, oil presses, and farmland along the river all contributed to Tomar's economic prosperity. "The Castle of Almourol is regarded as Portugal's most beautiful castle. Situated on a small cliffy island in the middle of the Tagus River, Almourol Castle is one of the most significant military Medieval monuments, which best evokes the memory of the Knights Templar in Portugal," the Visit Centre of Portugal writes. "Situated on the left bank of Tagus River, the Natural Reserve of Paul do Boquilobo follows a section of Almonda River born in the Mountain of Serra de Aire e Candeeiros that flows to the right bank of Tagus." Tomar is roughly a two-hour drive north of Lisbon, or a one hour train ride which costs £10. EasyJet, Tap Air Portugal, British Airways and Ryanair flies directly from London to Lisbon. There are 23 Ryanair direct flights from London to Lisbon per week. Flights are available every day.


Time Out
16 hours ago
- Time Out
The best beach in southern England is less than 90 minutes from London
It's easy to forget that London isn't actually that far from the coast. It is never too difficult to leave the city, breathe in fresh salt air, go for a sea dip, eat some proper seaside fish and chips and comfortably be back before the sun goes down. In fact, us Londoners are spoiled for choice when it comes to beaches that are within easy reach of the capital. So it's nice to have a helping hand when deciding which one to head to. At Time Out, we've got our own expert opinions on which beaches near London are the greatest of them all. But we're not opposed to seeing what others have got to say. And this week, the Times named one beach within an hour and a half of the city one of the best in the whole country. Over 12 months, Chris Haslam, the paper's chief travel writer, visited 756 beaches and 51 resorts across the British Isles. He judged each and every one based on their views, water quality, facilities and general vibes to come up with a list of the 50 best British beaches and a winner for each region of the UK. According to the Times, Milford on Sea in Hampshire is south England's best bit of coastline. The paper said that you get 'four gorgeous beaches' at Milford on Sea. The 'most dramatic', it says, is the shingle bank beach that runs from the village to Hurst Castle, then there's Hordle Cliff West with its pretty rows of beach huts. But it says that the best beach of the four is at Taddiford Gap where 'a short walk along a footpath brings you to a grassy cliff and a quiet stretch of shingle with the best views of the Needles'. The water quality there is rated excellent, and the beach is accessible and dog-friendly with loos and beachside eateries Needles Eye Cafe and the art deco Lighthouse Restaurant. The best bit, though, is that you can get there from London via a quick hour and a half train ride. All you have to do to enjoy Milford on Sea for yourself is to hop on a South Western Railway train from Clapham Junction. The quickest service will get you there in an hour and 29 minutes, with single journeys starting from £19. The rest of the Times's best beaches in the south of England were Margate (also an hour and a half from London), Norman's Bay (around two hours away), Newhaven West (just over two hours), Selsey (just over one hour), Southbourne (an hour and 45 minutes) and Hive Beach (between two and a half and three and a half hours away). Read the full article on the Times website here.