Man for court over after Ebola alert on Aer Lingus flight

A man is due in court tomorrow morning in connection with an alleged false Ebola threat on board an Aer Lingus flight.

Three airline passengers were arrested at Dublin Airport today after a security alert.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has ruled out a health risk in connection with the incident.

The concerns emerged after an Italian passenger on board an Aer Lingus flight from Milan to Dublin with 142 passengers showed a plastic cup to a flight attendant marked “attentione Ebola”.

He was on board with a younger family member and another woman also known to him. All three were arrested.

The captain notified the airport of the incident just before 1pm and a cordon was placed at the aircraft which was parked at a stand. The HSE was notified and emergency protocol was invoked.

The aircraft remained at the stand while the three passengers were medically examined. The HSE established there was no evidence of a health risk and passengers and crew were allowed to leave the aircraft at about 2pm.

Gardaí arrested the trio, all Italian - two women aged 23 and 51, and a 56-year-old man -and took them to Ballymun Garda station where they were questioned under the provisions of the Air Navigation and Transport Act.

Gardaí said tonight the man is due in court in Dublin tomorrow morning in connection with the incident.

In a statement, Dublin Airport Authority said passengers and crew were temporarily held on board the Aer Lingus flight from Milan to Dublin following a "minor security incident".

“As a precaution, the incident was fully investigated before passengers and crew disembarked as normal,” it said.

A statement from Aer Lingus confirmed passengers on board flight EI 433 had been held temporarily on board the plane in Dublin Airport while the matter was investigated.