Twelve passengers at large after fleeing plane following emergency landing in Spain
- Police arrested 12 passengers and were seeking 12 more who fled a plane during an emergency landing in an incident possibly linked to illegal immigration
- The exodus followed a passenger apparently falling ill on a flight from Morocco to Turkey, with the plane forced to stage an emergency landing in Mallorca
Mallorca police arrested 12 passengers and were seeking 12 more on Saturday who fled a plane during an emergency landing in an “unprecedented” incident possibly linked to illegal immigration, officials said.
The unauthorised exodus followed a passenger apparently falling ill on a flight from Morocco to Turkey, with the plane forced to stage an emergency landing at Palma de Mallorca, one of Spain’s busiest airports.
“Twelve people have been arrested and 12 more have yet to be found,” Aina Calvo, the Spanish government’s representative in the Balearic Islands, told a news conference.
“Such events have never taken place before at any airport in Spain.”
Police earlier said a passenger “apparently suffered a diabetic coma and was taken by ambulance to hospital with a companion” but on arrival was found to be fine and discharged.