“#THAMESPLANE”; ECO ATTACK REVEALED IN AAIB INVESTIGATION

Two improvised explosive devices (IED’s) have been found in relation to the US132 Airways flight, dubbed as the infamous “#THAMESPLANE” by internet users, in a recent investigation carried out by the AAIB and the MetroPol Special operations unit, known widely as SOU.

Two arrests have been made in connection with this discovery.
The arrests were made at an oyster packing shed in East Mersea, with both persons being charged with possession of explosives. A third person is further being questioned in relation to the possession of software and electronic equipment with intent to endanger the safety of an aircraft, a criminal offence which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

A significant part of one of the undetonated IEDs was located by a local birdwatcher upon the shore at Abbots Farm Nature Reserve in Essex. The adhesive duct tape attached to this pipe-bomb matched glue and tape found on drone remnants inside the plane engine, confirms Chief Investigating officer of the SOU, William Stewart.
The second IED was found near a footpath at Lookout Hill near Thamesmead, which is 1.72km east of London City Airport. It is believed the drone operators were on nearby Gallions Hill, and anyone who saw anything suspicious in this area on the afternoon of 15 December is asked to contact MetroPol on 105.

After being transported by helicopter to an off-shore location in the ocean, the Army’s bomb disposal unit successfully detonated them at a depth of approximately 20 metres.

The Police have confirmed that they had received telephoned warnings about an attack at 8am on 15 Dec, with the perpetrators claiming to be from the “Mersea Pathfinders”, a protest group active in demonstrating against flight paths over areas of natural beauty in South Essex and North Kent.
When asked why this information hadn’t been passed on, or escalated, Chief Inspector William Stuart recalled;

“because of the covert nature of the MetroPol [Essex Police Officials], we felt that passing on information could endanger lives, or produce leaks.”

Commissioner of the AAIB, Murray Russell, sought to soothe potential fliers by saying; “Using a drone attack a plane is much more difficult than it seems.” Later, he reveals that there were 120 near misses of drones with commercial airliners in 2020.
William Stewart further attempts to reassure the public that this is no joke, and reports that “We have stepped up security around airports- I’m not saying this lightly, but we’d like to assure people so they feel safe, or safer than this moment in time.”

Speaking at the news conference:
* William Stewart – chief investigating officer, MetroPol
* Murray Russell – commissioner, AAIB