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BA pilot suspected of being drunk removed from Gatwick flight

A pilot is reported to have been removed from a flight from Gatwick after fears were raised he was drunk.

The British Airways flight to Mauritius on Thursday was delayed and the pilot replaced.

The Boeing 777 was due to leave Gatwick’s South Terminal at 8.20pm but was delayed until just before 11pm, according to reports.

The first officer was one of three pilots and would have taken the controls for part of the 11-hour flight.

A 49-year-old man, from Harmondsworth, West Drayton, was arrested on suspicion of performing an aviation function when the level of alcohol was over the prescribed limit.

A BA spokesman told BBC News: “We are taking this matter extremely seriously.

“We are sorry for the delay to our customers. The aircraft remained at the gate until an alternative third pilot joined the flight crew.”

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