Egypt Thompson

A missile that emerged within 1, 000ft of an Uk jet holding 189 tourists on the way to your Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh ended up being “probably a flare”, investigators have discovered.

The near-miss involving a Thompson airliner happened on 23 August, two months before a Russian plane damaged in Egypt, killing all 224 people on board. Philip Hammond, the Foreign Secretary, states there's a “significant chance” that Isis is responsible.

The division for Transport (DfT) said its research into the near-miss incident concluded it was not a “targeted attack”, while Thomson stated there was “no cause of issue” for further flights.

But the reports have actually angered Egyptian officials - with e international matters spokesman highly refuting statements produced in the regular Mail.

Based on the Mail, the pilot took elusive activity and arrived safely, but holidaymakers were not told concerning the event. The magazine quoted a source as saying: “The pilot was at the cockpit and saw the rocket coming to the airplane. He bought the trip turn to the remaining to prevent the rocket, that was about 1, 000ft away

“Another Thomson plane was also flying into [Sharm el-Sheikh] at precisely the same time and saw the rocket. The team were told the rocket was from an Egyptian military workout, however with just what has occurred there is lots of fear. The event left staff petrified.”

However, the state representative for Egypt’s international matters ministry, Ahmed Abu Zeid, branded the claims "preposterous".

Incident involved GROUND-TO-GROUND fire workout in military base few km off Sharm airport, no ground-to-air firing involved whatsoever 2/3

Egypt & UK govs completely aware that airplane was at no danger. Airliners formerly informed of armed forces workout & instructed of treatments 3/3

In a series of tweets, he stated: “Preposterous allegations by @MailOnline regarding UK jet ‘avoiding Egyptian missile’ in August are completely inaccurate… event included ground-to-ground fire exercise in armed forces base few km off Sharm airport, no ground-to-air shooting included whatsoever.

“Egypt and UNITED KINGDOM govs fully aware that airplane was in no danger. Airliners formerly informed of military workout and instructed of treatments.”

Tui Group, which is the owner of Thomson, said the DfT research “concluded that it was maybe not a specific assault and had been apt to be linked to routine workouts becoming carried out because of the Egyptian military in the region at time”.

A Tui spokesman added: “Their view additionally during the time was it was most likely a flare. Consequently there clearly was no cause of concern. It was safe for Thomson Airways to keep its flying programme to Sharm el-Sheikh.”

Additional reporting by PA.