Pictured: Man who flew from Heathrow to New York 'without a ticket or passport'

12 February 2024, 12:16 | Updated: 12 February 2024, 12:40

Craig Sturt is accused of flying to JFK from Heathrow without documentation
Craig Sturt is accused of flying to JFK from Heathrow without documentation. Picture: Alamy/Police

By Emma Soteriou

A British man accused of flying from Heathrow to New York without a passport or ticket by tailgating another passenger has been pictured.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Craig Sturt, 46, allegedly followed another passenger through Heathrow Airport security and passport checks before getting free food and drinks on a British Airways flight to New York.

He was understood to have been detained by armed officials at JFK airport, who discovered he had no documentation, and then sent him back to the UK on a charter flight.

Sturt was handed to the Metropolitan Police at 8pm on Christmas Day, where he was arrested and charged with fraud and offences under the Aviation Security Act.

Read more: Man who flew from Heathrow to New York ‘without a passport’ detained at London coffee shop after 'urgent' search

Police are searching for Craig Sturt
Police are searching for Craig Sturt. Picture: Police

He was remanded to appear at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court - but is now the subject of an "urgent missing person appeal" after allegedly escaping hospital.

Thames Valley Police issued a photo of him on January 30, saying: "Urgent missing person appeal. Please can you help us find Craig? The 46-year-old is 6ft, slim, with short dark brown hair.

"When he was last seen, he was wearing a grey jacket, a top, black jogging bottoms and white trainers.

"Craig was last seen in Reading, but is from Slough and also has links to Heathrow and the Tottenham Court Road in London. If you see Craig, please do not approach him, instead call 999."

Read more: Two bodies discovered in River Thames 'not linked' to Abdul Ezedi as police continue hunt for Clapham attack suspect

Read more: Defence Sec 'furious' over 'woke' report urging British Army to prioritise diversity over security vetting for recruits

The man flew from Heathrow to JFK airport
The man flew from Heathrow to JFK airport. Picture: Alamy

The incident has left home secretary James Cleverly demanding answers over the "humiliating fiasco", according to The Sun.

"Heads will roll. It's staggering this could happen. It doesn't bear thinking about what might have happened if a terrorist had successfully boarded a flight undetected," they said.

"This is a major embarrassment. Officials in the US are furious and demanding to know how this could have happened."

A Heathrow spokeswoman said: "All people who go airside are subject to security screening, including the individual involved in this case.

"We are supporting the authorities with their ongoing investigation."

The Met said: "On December 24, 2023, police were made aware of an alleged breach of security at Heathrow airport and a male was subsequently arrested and later charged with Fraud and Aviation Security Act offences.

"We continue to work with all our partners to review and enhance the already robust security measures in place which are kept under constant review by the wider security partnership."

British Airways said: "We are assisting the authorities with their investigation."

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Applegreen petrol station in New Town, Uckfield, Sussex.

Teenager dies after car overturned at Sussex petrol station

Starmer, Trump and Putin.

'Once in a generation moment': Starmer warns against NATO division ahead of Ukraine peace talks

Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and United States President Donald Trump (right).

US officials heading to Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Saudi Arabia

Police in  Villach, Austria.

Boy, 14, killed and five injured after Syrian asylum seeker goes on knife rampage in Austrian town

Julie Buckley, 54, from the village of Christchurch in Cambridgeshire, has not been seen since late January.

Missing woman at centre of Cambridgeshire murder investigation named

Police at the scene after the car crashed into protesters.

Mother and her two-year-old daughter die after Munich attack where man ploughed car into crowd

Thousands attend the Pro-Palestinian demonstration held in London

Man arrested as thousands march to protest Trump's 'Riviera of the Middle East' Gaza plan

Partial lunar eclipse rising over Stonehenge, UK, on July 16th 2019

Rare 'blood moon' lunar eclipse is coming to the UK - here's how to see it

Ukraine war is the ‘front line’ for Europe and UK will up defence spending, Lammy says as Zelensky calls for European army

Ukraine war is ‘front line’ for Europe and UK will up defence spending, Lammy says as Zelensky calls for 'army of Europe'

Flag of the United Kingdom with surveillance camera and barbed wire

UK spending millions on ad campaign painting gloomy picture of Britain to deter Albanian immigrants

Flack, who was also known for presenting ITV's Love Island, took her own life on February 15 2020 at the age of 40.

Laura Whitmore shares heartbreaking final messages from Caroline Flack five years on from star's death

Exclusive
The former Deputy Foreign Secretary said: “Many countries in Europe are simply not spending anywhere near, in percentage terms, what America is spending.

UK needs to ‘spend less on welfare and more on defence’ to support Ukraine, former Shadow Foreign Secretary tells LBC

Craig and Lindsay Foreman

British couple on motorbike adventure held in Iran pictured for the first time as family break silence

The Jet2 plane was forced to divert.

Jet2 plane bound for UK makes emergency landing after passenger dies on board

he Philadelphia Eagles celebrate in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art during the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl Championship Parade on February 14, 2025

Two women shot and injured during Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl victory parade, police say

Social media footage showed a man being kicked on the ground by his knife-wielding attacker.

Two charged by police after shock footage shows man kicked and spat at by knifeman after ‘burning Koran’ in London