Pilot refuses to deport Asghan asylum seeker

An Afghan asylum seeker’s deportation was prevented yesterday after the pilot of the plane on which he was supposed to be removed reportedly refused to take off. Samim Bigzad, 22, had been booked on a Turkish Airlines flight after his application for asylum failed.

A petition to delay his deportation had attracted 3,000 signatures and campaigners went to Heathrow airport to tell passengers about Mr Bigzad’s situation, asking them to raise it with airline staff. A British woman who had been hosting Mr Bigzad in Kent later received a message from him saying he had returned to a detention centre “the pilot said no”.