After passengers received an alarming AirDrop message stating, “I have a bomb,” armed cops stormed an easyJet flight.
As the plane was set to take off from Stansted airport for Amsterdam, passengers holding Apple devices received the notification.
The terrifying message prompted armed police to storm the Airbus A319 and shut down the runaway plane.
On the runway, numerous emergency services, including ambulances and police, were observed.
According to witnesses, a man was tackled to the ground by police before being brought away in handcuffs.
Wednesday evening, three individuals were arrested at the spot for using Bluetooth to deliver the threatening message.
Officers also detained his traveling companions, while worried passengers were provided overnight accommodations in neighboring hotels.
It is believed to be the first known act of terrorism of this type.
According to one insider who spoke to The Sun, there was mass pandemonium on board.
People were panicking understandably. This resembled a scene from a Hollywood blockbuster.
This type of terror threat occurrence, in which a threatening message was transmitted to many parties using AirDrop, is not known to have occurred previously.
Flights were allowed to continue circling over the runway while the aircraft was moved to a secure position.
The Sun reported that one of the messages sent depicted a man with a mustache and glasses on whose face was written, “I have a bomb.”
EasyJet stated that the flight was delayed overnight ‘out of an abundance of caution’ so that ‘extra security procedures’ could be implemented.
AirDrop enables Apple users to share files and images with one another. Files can be shared with strangers if the distance between them is close enough.