British plane diverts to avoid missile attack in Egypt.

A Thomson Airways flight to Sharm el-Sheikh in August had to make an emergency diversion when it came within less than 300 meters of a missile.

The British government confirmed yesterday that the pilot of flight TOM 476 had spotted a missile near an Egyptian airport, according to The Guardian.

A Thomson Airways aircraft. Photo: Flyairwaysimulation

The incident occurred on August 23rd, when the plane was carrying 189 passengers on a holiday to a resort on the Red Sea coast. The aircraft subsequently landed safely, and the passengers were unaware they had narrowly escaped death.

Thomson said the crew members reported the incident to the UK Department for Transport (DfT) shortly after landing. The DfT confirmed the incident but did not believe the missile was aimed at the British aircraft.

"We have investigated and concluded that it was not a targeted attack, but likely related to routine Egyptian military exercises," a British government spokesperson said. He added that there was no concern and that British flights to Sharm el-Sheikh were safe.

The incident is believed to be unrelated to London's decision to suspend flights to Egypt following the Russian plane crash that killed 224 people last weekend. Meanwhile, observers suggest that the release of this information increases concerns about instability in the region, potentially threatening the safety of flights.

British aircraft are currently prohibited from flying below an altitude of approximately 8,000 meters over the Sinai Peninsula due to concerns about the risk of being shot down by Islamic State (IS) militants using shoulder-fired missiles. Intelligence agencies believe that IS possesses shoulder-fired missiles capable of striking low-flying aircraft.

According to VNE