Fourteen members of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) were detained at London’s Heathrow Airport on Monday and were let off after two hours. The crew members were allowed to leave after a thorough search was conducted.
“Flight PK-785 from Islamabad to London arrived at Heathrow Airport at 2.50 p.m. on Monday, and after passengers disembarked, the flight crew and aircraft were searched by authorities,” Pakistani news papers quoted PIA spokesperson Mashhood Tajwar as saying.
He also added that the reason for detention of the crew was yet not clear and that PIA will take up this matter with British aviation authorities.
However, Geo News reported that the PIA spokesperson said, on Tuesday, that the crew was taken into custody for interrogation related to security issues.
“While the crew has been released and sent back to the hotel, as per British authorities’ statement, it still remains under investigation. The crew members’ passports were also reportedly taken by the police,” the report stated.