Deportation flight to Egypt cancelled after man swallows vape battery
A Ministry of Internal Affairs flight deporting an Egyptian foreign national criminal was canceled after the man swallowed a lithium e-cigarette battery before boarding the plane.
The man, who had a disturbing past during attempts to remove him, went off the battery after being given an e-cigarette while being held in separate custody before his flight on Thursday. Guard first reported.
The person was taken to the hospital and taken into custody again after receiving treatment.
On Monday, the Ministry of Internal Affairs said:Independent It was supporting an investigation into the incident launched by Mitie, the contractor that manages international deportations.
It is understood the man was due to fly from the UK to Albania on a private plane before being put on another flight to Egypt. While the trip to Egypt was canceled, the flight to Albania continued within the scope of the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ deportation operation.
Such flights to the Balkan country are common among Albanian citizens accounting for more More than a quarter of forced returns from the UK last year.
It is not known how much the canceled trip from Albania to Egypt cost or when the man will board a new flight; The Home Office has been reluctant to provide further details about deportation operations.
But a spokesman said: “Disturbing behavior will not be successful and we will proceed with deportation action as soon as possible.”
Mitie’s spokesman said: Independent: “This incident is currently under investigation. There is currently no evidence to suggest any wrongdoing or breach of procedure by our colleagues. Our priority is the safety and well-being of those in our care.”
This was not the first problem authorities had encountered in their attempts to deport him from the UK.
It was revealed last year that immigrant sex offender Hadush Kebatu, who was mistakenly released from prison, was paid £500 after threatening to disrupt his deportation flight to Ethiopia.
The government said the alternative was a “slower and more expensive process” but the Conservatives described the decision to pay him as “an absolute disgrace”.
Despite recent problems, the Home Office said this month there had been a 32 per cent increase in deportations of foreign criminals, including murderers and rapists, and more than 8,700 people had been deported since the government came to power.
However, last year Independent It also revealed the UK had paid £53 million to migrants to leave the country in the last four years, with a voluntary scheme offering them up to £3,000 as an incentive to return to their home country.
According to Ministry of Internal Affairs data, a total of 6,799 people benefited from the supported repatriation service in 2024, compared to 2,179 in 2022.
