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LARGE: http://i3.dailyrecord.co.uk/incoming/ar ... 503929.jpg
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scott ... es-5449532
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-gla ... t-32171407
A civiliancargo aircraft has landed safely after being escorted into Prestwick Airport in Ayrshire after suffering technical problems with its communications equipment.
A major emergency had been declared at the airport after the Italian C-27J aircraft lost communication.
It was escorted to Prestwick by RAF Typhoons as a precaution and landed without incident shortly before 20:00.
Police Scotland said the C-27J had been flying from Iceland to Italy.
Flights are believed to have been delayed short a short time at Glasgow and Edinburgh, but Scottish airspace was not closed.
Prestwick Airport also remained open throughout, and a Ryanair passenger flight to Malta took off a short time after the Italian plane landed.
A video posted on Facebook by the Ayrshire News newspaper
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=36 ... =2&theater
appeared to show the civilian aircraft landing at the airport.
The Typhoons did not land.
Photographs from the scene posted on social media showed several emergency service vehicles which had been summoned to the scene as a precaution.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: "Typhoon aircraft were launched this evening from RAF Lossiemouth to intercept a civilian aircraft which was causing concern to air traffic control authorities.
"The aircraft was safely escorted to Prestwick airport and the local police now have the lead."
