Holiday flight in attack scare

The Mirage came within 100ft of the charter jet

British holidaymakers have described their fear as a French fighter plane homed in on their jet at 30,000 feet (9,144 metres).

The Mirage F1 fighter intercepted Go airline's Boeing 737 as it flew over France en route to the UK from Malaga in Spain on Monday.

Father-of-three Renny Dobbs, 47, from Margate, Kent, told the BBC the plane was so close he could see its missiles "quite plainly."

He said: "It was fascinating to start with. I glanced out the window and saw this Mirage, and was just amazed to see such a sight.

'Frightening'

"But obviously shortly afterwards it became quite frightening."

The scare came after the Boeing lost radio contact with French air traffic control - prompting fears it may have been hijacked.

It was fascinating to start with...but obviously shortly afterwards it became quite frightening

Passenger Renny Dobbs

Mr Dobbs said passengers were shocked as the Mirage suddenly appeared 100ft (30m) away from the Boeing's left wingtip.

He said the Mirage was so close he could see the pilot's head moving, as if looking under the Boeing for signs of sabotage.

Mr Dobbs said: "Your first thoughts are that you're going to be shot down but then it looked more like the plane was escorting us rather than attacking us.

"All the passengers were starting to get frightened but the captain soon came on the intercom to explain that the Mirage was just on a routine flight, and that calmed everybody down.

"Everybody just sat back in their seats and looked at the plane."

The fighter accompanied the Boeing for about 10 minutes before radio contact was re-established, and it was called off.

The holiday flight, carrying 126 passengers and five crew, landed on time in Stansted Airport in Essex, following the incident.

At no point were passengers in any danger

Go spokeswoman

A Go spokeswoman said the French military had been alerted to the Boeing because it had temporarily lost radio contact with French air traffic control as it transferred from Spanish to French airspace.

She said: "French air traffic control contacted the French military who alerted a French airforce plane which was on exercise nearby.

"The French plane accompanied the Go flight for approximately 10 minutes during which time radio contact was re-established with French air traffic control.

'No danger'

"At no point were passengers in any danger, and the flight arrived on schedule.

"Go has investigated the incident and is satisfied all systems were functioning normally and the aircraft maintained its planned route and airspeed at all times.

"Go has requested an explanation from French and Spanish air traffic controls as to why radio contact was temporarily lost."

Twelve Mirage 2000 interceptors, which are said to be ready to take off in two minutes, are currently on full alert at several bases across France.

Your first thoughts are that you're going to be shot down but then it looked more like the plane was escorting us rather than attacking us

Renny Dobbs

They are primed to intercept any aircraft suspected of being used in a suicidal attack such as those on 11 September in the US.

France has set up air protection zones around major cities and "sensitive" sites such as dams and large industrial sites.

Surface-to-air missiles are protecting two key sites in western France - a base for nuclear submarines and a nuclear waste reprocessing plant.

On Thursday President Jaques Chirac also got a demonstration of the Mirage performance while on a flight.

Two of the fighters surrounded his presidential plane, positioning themselves two metres from its wings to show how the military could chase down attackers.