Air France A380 declares emergency 45 minutes into flight after cabin crew realise two passengers are MISSING
- Flight from Paris to Johannesburg triggered security alert after 45 minutes
- Crew on AF990A discovered baggage and passenger list did not match
- Bags onboard belonged to passengers who had missed their connection
An Air France flight from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to Johannesburg, South Africa was forced to declare an emergency and turn around 45 minutes into its journey, after crew discovered that two passengers were missing.
Crew onboard the Boeing A380 triggered the security alert after realising that the passenger list and baggage did not match - with four bags loaded without their owners.
Flight AF990A which was scheduled to fly at 11.30pm last night, had been delayed by technical issues until 09.30am this morning before the mid-air emergency.
An AirFrance flight declared an emergency after two passengers went 'missing' (Stock image not actual plane)
According to AirLive the four bags belonged to two passengers in transit from London Heathrow who had missed their connecting flight to South Africa.
Commenting on the incident, a spokesperson for AirFrance said: 'Air France confirms that the crew of flight AF990A from Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) to Johannesburg (JNB) on 14 October decided to apply the precautionary principle and return to Paris CDG after 45 minutes flight time for checks linked to the matching of the passenger list and the baggage loaded in the hold.
'Security is Air France's priority and was never questioned.
'The baggage security procedures are in line with regulatory procedures and as for all Air France flights, the 4 bags concerned had been scanned and inspected on departure from London Heathrow (LHR) and were in transit through Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG).'
The aircraft landed normally at 11:09 (local time) and the flight is expected to depart as soon as possible.
A380 mid-air drama: Air Live net reported on the emergency as it unfolded
The four bags made it through London Heathrow and were in transit through Charles de Gaulle without the passengers
In August, MailOnline reported that an Air Malta flight bound for Manchester Airport was forced to make a mid-air diversion after it 'forgot' two passengers.
The incident happened on August 28 when the aircraft had set out from the country's international airport in Luqa.
However, around 40 minutes into the flight to the UK, the captain is said to have announced to the passengers that it would have to turn around to pick-up two people still at the Maltese terminal.
- Koko the gorilla falls in love with a litter of tiny kittens
- Dramatic 911 call after Lamar Odom found unconscious
- Kris & Kim leave Vegas hospital after visiting Lamar Odom
- Zeus the African wildcat says 'mamma' to owner
- Ambulance rushes Lamar Odom to hospital in race to save him
- Love Ranch owner describes the moment Lamar Odom was found
- 'Go to hell': Love Ranch brothel owner slams Kardashians
- Inside the VIP suite where Lamar Odom was found unconscious
- Footage of VIP suite where Lamar Odom was found unconscious
- Naked woman trashes Subway after 'smoking synthetic...
- Terrifying moment sashimi fish jumps from dinner plate
- Passing motorcyclist films driver's road rage rant at...
- Air France A380 declares emergency 45 minutes into flight...
- They really ARE secret escapes: Through the keyhole in...
- Would YOU dare to walk along these? The most TERRIFYING...
- You weren't invited! The animals that innocently photobombed...
- Tourists gasp in horror as jaguar leaps into river,...
- The jungle of Arabia: Incredible pictures of Oman's pop-up...
- Caught on camera: The terrifying moment the engine of a...
- Incredible 360 degree interactive video shows a pilot's-eye...
- Caught on camera: The amazing moment a woman gives birth to...
- Tourists who have stolen mementos from the ruined city of...
- Astonishing pictures show Boeing 747 engine lying in a field...
- Could this be the end of the overhead bin battle? Boeing...