LONDON: A British Airways plane flying from London to Mexico

was forced to do a U-turn over the Atlantic after concerns about a passenger on board, the airline said today.

Amid tightened security following the failed Detroit bombing in December, the flight carrying 318 passengers returned to London’s Heathrow airport on Friday after a “data discrepancy” involving a US passenger, BA said.

“BA Flight 243 returned to Heathrow on Friday afternoon due to a data discrepancy with a US citizen. The passenger was asked to leave, which he duly did, and collected his bags,” said a BA spokesman. “The plane was refuelled and left later that day,” he added.

No further details were available about whether the US national was detained or not.