Holiday plane dodged military jet

A flight carrying holidaymakers back from Turkey to Belfast was forced to take action to keep a safe distance from a military aircraft.

Thomson Holidays confirmed the captain of a flight operated on their behalf by Skyservice Airlines from Dalaman was forced to take evasive action.

A Thomson spokesperson said: "There are no reported injuries but we are taking the incident extremely seriously."

Passengers travelling on the flight said the plane turned on its side.

Glentoran footballer Jason Hill, who was on board with his partner and 13-month-old daughter, said he panicked when he thought the plane was going to crash.

"There were people behind us crying, there were grown men nearly in tears," he said.

"I really thought that was it - when the plane went on its side, all you could see was the sea. There was nothing anybody could do."

Anybody who wasn't screaming was shouting 'get it back, get it back' PJ Gillespie

PJ Gillespie, from Castlederg, said he thought he was about to die when the plane turned on its side.

"One minute I was looking down at the engine, the next minute I was looking up at the engine - the engine was above me," he said.

"Everybody was screaming, anybody who wasn't screaming was shouting 'get it back, get it back'.

"Eventually the plane levelled out again and the captain came on immediately to say that he was very sorry for what had happened but he had to take urgent evasive action to avoid a collision."

Teresa Kennedy from Andersonstown said: "To me it was more like a nose dive - I'll never fly again."

The flight continued its journey to Belfast International Airport after the incident on Monday.

Thomson said that Skyservice Airlines had completed an air proximity report and a full investigation is now being carried out by them and the Turkish authorities.

A spokesperson for Thomson Holidays added they had offered assistance to both Skyservice Airlines and the Turkish authorities with the investigation.