LONDON, Oct 26: British tourists were involved in a terror scare as a French warplane homed in on their holiday jet at 10,000 metres, press reports said on Friday.

The Mirage fighter intercepted a Boeing 737-300 of the budget airline Go, as it flew over France en route from Malaga, Spain, to Stansted Airport near London, the Daily Express said.

According to reports, the warplane was sent up when the holiday jet, carrying 126 passengers and five crew, temporarily lost radio contact with air traffic controllers.

Passengers told of their shock as the fighter jet suddenly appeared 30 metres from the Boeing’s left wingtip.

Pub owner Rene Dobbs, 47, told reporters: “People were crying and swearing, trying to work out what was going on.

“Some of them thought we were going to be shot down. No one could believe what was happening.”

Cabin crew reassured passengers and, after radio contact was re- established, the warplane disappeared.

The newspaper said French authorities thought the plane might have been hijacked or was being used for a terror attack like the ones in New York and Washington on Sept 11.—dpa