Two RAF jets were scrambled after a bomb threat was reportedly made on an Air India flight to Heathrow on Thursday.

       The Air India Boeing 777 was flying from Mumbai to London when it sent out emergency signals over the North Sea.

       Two RAF Typhoons were scrambled from RAF Coningsby, in Lincolnshire, after the aircraft sent out, or squawked, a 7700 emergency signal at 12.18pm, flight tracking websites suggest.

       Reports suggested a bomb threat was made to the plane. It circled over East Anglia for less than an hour before it stopped transmitting the signal at 12.55pm.

       A spokesman for Heathrow Airport confirmed that the aircraft had landed safely, but did not disclose further details.

       ‘Uneventful interception’

       The Typhoons reached supersonic speeds as they raced to the aircraft, creating a sonic boom. A sonic boom is created when planes fly faster than the speed of sound, which at ground level is around 761mph.

       A spokesman for the RAF said: “We can confirm that RAF Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon fighter aircraft from RAF Coningsby were launched to investigate a civilian aircraft.

       “Following an uneventful interception, the aircraft was released to continue to its original destination under the direction of civilian air traffic control. This incident is now being handled under the control of civilian authorities.”

       Air India and the Metropolitan Police were approached for comment.

       Emergency landings

       It comes in a week where bomb threats have forced at least 19 Indian airliners to make emergency landings in the Arctic and fighter jets to be scrambled in Asia.

       On Tuesday, an Air India flight from New Delhi to Chicago landed in Iqaluit, Canada, following a security threat posted online. In a separate incident on the same day, Singapore scrambled two F-15 fighter jets escorting an Air India flight to Changi airport after the airline received an email that there had been a bomb on board, minister Ng Eng Hen said.

       An Air India flight from Mumbai to New York was diverted to Delhi on Monday because of a hoax bomb alert, while two IndiGo flights from Mumbai were also delayed because of bomb threats.