Updated at 6:22 p.m. ET: LONDON -- An 11-year-old boy flew alone from England to Rome after boarding a commercial flight without a passport, boarding pass or cash, officials said Wednesday.

Several members of staff at Manchester International Airport and with discount air carrier Jet2.com have been suspended and an inquiry has been launched in the wake of the incident during the height of the summer travel season, officials told NBC News.

The boy is now back home with his family and the airport is treating it as "a very serious incident," an airport spokesperson told NBC News by telephone.

Punning on the popular "Home Alone" movies starring Macaulay Culkin in the 1990s, British newspapers are calling it the "Rome alone" incident.

The case of the stowaway boy comes as international travelers pour into Britain just two days before the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics in London, less than 200 miles to the southeast.

"I treat security breaches very, very seriously indeed, so we are now reviewing urgently with Manchester Airport, and indeed the airline, exactly what happened," British Transport Secretary Justine Greening told the BBC.

Five security checks
The boy, who was named in local media reports as Liam Corcoran, managed to pass through five security checks by tagging along with another family before boarding the plane, according to reports.

The plane's captain was notified that his flight had an extra passenger after the aircraft was already in flight, the Manchester Evening News reported. Airplane staff kept the boy onboard after landing at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport and he stayed on the plane until it returned to Manchester later Tuesday.

More London 2012 coverage from NBCNews.com

"This extremely serious matter is now being urgently investigated by officials from the airport and airline. It is clear that documentation has not been checked correctly at security and the boarding gate. The boy went through full security screening so the safety of passengers and the aircraft was never compromised. We made preparations to ensure that his return to the U.K. was handled sensitively to avoid any distress," the airport said in a statement sent to NBC News.

The flight from Manchester to Rome is approximately 1,500 miles.

Fortress London: UK protects Olympics with biggest security plan since World War II

The boy did not pose a security risk because he passed through all of the proper security procedures, the airport spokesperson and the airline told NBC.

"We have launched a full investigation into what is a serious incident, and the staff involved have been suspended pending the outcome. The boy has been returned safely to his family," a spokesperson from Jet2.com said in a statement given to NBC News.

Full international coverage from NBCNews.com

'He seemed ... quite unfazed'
The boy had disappeared just after noon Tuesday during a trip with his mother to a shopping center in Wythenshawe, on the south side of Manchester, before making his way to the airport, a Manchester police spokesperson told NBC News. Local reports said the boy wanted to run away from home.

"He was very talkative and seemed quite unfazed by it all. He was just sat there chatting away about how he'd been trying to run away from home," airplane passenger Sarah Swayne, 26, from Nantwich, England, told the Evening News.

More coverage on this story from NBC's British partner ITV News

"He seemed quite innocent really and I don't think it had sunk in how serious the situation was," she told the newspaper.

"When the plane touched down, he clearly didn't want to get off but he was taken down the steps before everyone else and met at the bottom by a group of staff who quickly whisked him away," another passenger, who did not provide a name, told the Evening News.

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Claude Paris / AP

Police Officers walk near the plane that crashed on landing at Le Castellet airport, near Toulon, southern France, Friday, July, 13, 2012. Three US citizens died in the accident.

Three Americans were killed Friday when a private jet crashed and burst into flames at the end of a runway in the south of France, police officials told NBC News.

The Americans formed the plane crew and no other passengers were on board, the Police Prefecture of Var told NBC.

The aircraft, a Mystere-Falcon 20, crashed at Castellet airport, between Marseille and Toulon, moments after the pilot signaled a problem at around 3 p.m. local time (9 a.m. EST), authorities said. The jet had departed from Nice, officials said.

The reason for the crash remained unclear.

French authorities have not released the identities of those killed in the accident, except to say that the 60-year-old pilot, 24-year-old co-pilot and 30-year-old flight attendant all died in the crash.

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Chunks of metal the size of a cellphone fell onto cars in a neighborhood near Toronto airport Monday, around the same time as an Air Canada Boeing 777 made an emergency landing, CBC reported.

The airliner, bound for Japan, suffered a failure in one of its engines shortly after takeoff from Pearson International Airport.

The plane dumped fuel before returning to Pearson, landing normally using one engine. No injuries were reported.

The aircraft is thought to be fitted with GE90 engines. (GE is part-owner of NBC Universal, which is joint parent company of msnbc.com).

At least four vehicles were hit by pieces of metal, according to Peel regional police Constable George Tudos, but there was no immediate confirmation the debris was from the plane.

“We believe it is, but it's not up to us — we're not the investigating body,” Tudos told CBC.

"As it [the plane] was traveling away from Pearson we had other complaints stating that debris, consisting of metal objects, was falling from the sky," he said.

On Twitter, residents near the intersection of Derry and Kennedy Roads in Mississauga were posting photos of a vehicle’s rear windshield that was apparently smashed by falling material from the plane, Canada's National Post reported.

CBC said there were 318 passengers and 16 crew aboard Flight AC001, which took off from Pearson at 2:10 p.m. ET and returned to make its emergency landing at 3:53 p.m. ET.

Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick said the plane's crew requested the emergency landing shortly after takeoff.

A businessman who was on board the plane tweeted that passengers were told it was an engine overheating.

"Seems my plane fell apart! Luckily we managed to land it," Jason Flick tweeted, adding that the plane spent 20 minutes dropping fuel.

The passengers were given hotel accommodation overnight and were expected to resume their journey Tuesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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MOUNT SALAK, Indonesia -- Clearer weather finally allowed Indonesian helicopters to land Saturday and retrieve some remains of the 45 people aboard a Russian-made plane that crashed into a volcano during a demonstration flight.

Investigators still have found no sign of the black box recorder that might explain why the new Sukhoi Superjet-100 slammed into Mount Salak about halfway through a 50-minute flight intended to woo potential Indonesian airline buyers on Wednesday.

Search teams who climbed the dormant volcano's near-vertical slopes have been struggling to retrieve remains of the victims, and helicopters were unable to land because of thick fog shrouding the mountain about 50 miles southwest of Jakarta, the capital. All those aboard the flight are now presumed dead, and the plane's shredded wreckage is scattered around the dense jungle.

Helicopters brought four body bags with remains to Jakarta early Saturday morning for identification, search and rescue agency spokesman Gagah Prakoso said.

"We also have deployed a team to find the black box, but so far it had yet found," Prakoso said.

Col. Anton Chastila, a police forensic doctor in Jakarta, said his team has received the remains, adding it was unclear how many victims they represent.

About 60 forensic experts will sort through the body parts piece by piece and take DNA samples to identify them, Chastila said.

Indonesian rescuers find bodies near wreckage of jet that 'fell' from sky

Wednesday's demonstration — locally known as a "joy flight" — was mostly carrying representatives from Indonesian airlines, which are rapidly expanding to serve a burgeoning middle class in the sprawling archipelago where air travel between islands is a quicker alternative to ferries.  

Just 21 minutes after takeoff from a Jakarta airfield, the Russian pilot and co-pilot asked for permission to drop from 10,000 feet to 6,000 feet. They gave no explanation, disappearing from the radar immediately afterward.

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It was not clear why the crew asked to shift course, especially since they were so close to the 7,000-foot volcano, officials have said.

The Superjet is Russia's first new model of passenger jet since the fall of the Soviet Union two decades ago and was intended to help resurrect its aerospace industry.

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Jakub Perka

The discovery of the Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk in the Sahara Desert was described by one military historian as "the aviation equivalent of Tutankhamun's Tomb."

A remarkably well-preserved fighter plane that crashed in the Sahara Desert during World War II has been found 70 years later, shedding new light on the pilot's struggle to survive.

The American-made Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk was discovered by a Polish oil worker, Jakub Perka, who was exploring the desert in Egypt, The Telegraph newspaper reported. It was about 200 miles from the nearest town.

It is believed that the pilot, Dennis Copping, 24, ran into trouble while flying in 1942 but still managed to land the plane on the sands, the paper said.

Military historian Andy Saunders said that the British flight sergeant "must have survived the crash" because a photograph of the plane showed a parachute had been put up on the side of the plane, apparently as a form of shelter, The Telegraph reported.

"The radio and batteries were out of the plane, and it looks like he tried to get it working. If he died at the side of the plane, his remains would have been found," Saunders added. "Once he had crashed there, nobody was going to come and get him. It is more likely he tried to walk out of the desert but ended up walking to his death. It is too hideous to contemplate."

He said the discovery was "the aviation equivalent of Tutankhamun's tomb."

Air enthusiasts excited
The Vintage Wings of Canada website speculated that the plane had a mechanical problem, ran out of fuel or that the pilot simply got lost.

The website said there seemed to be a growing consensus that the plane's serial number was ET 574, based on what could be made out from photographs. If this is confirmed, the website said it was possible that Canadian flying ace James "Stocky" Edwards had previously flown the fighter.

Jakub Perka

The plane's cockpit is in remarkable though dusty condition.

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"To say we, at Vintage Wings, are excited by this find is an understatement," the website said.

It expressed concern the plane had been "seriously vandalized -- a travesty the whole aviation world seems unable to stop."

Parades commemorate Soviet victory in World War II

Michael Creane of the Royal Air Force Museum in London, U.K., told NBC News that it was "incredible" the plane had not been submerged by the shifting sands of the desert.

He said the museum was "hell-bent" on bringing the aircraft to the facility, although he said there were "lots of hoops to jump through."

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AFP - Getty Images

Debris from the crashed Sukhoi Superjet-100 is seen on the slope of Salak Mountain in Indonesia on Thursday.

Updated at 4:10 a.m. ET: Indonesian rescuers said Thursday that they had discovered bodies near the wreckage of a Russian-made airliner that disappeared from radar south of the capital Jakarta.

The crew of a helicopter searching for the jet had earlier spotted debris on the edge of a cliff in a mountainous area at 5,500 feet, a senior rescue official said.

The Sukhoi Superjet-100, carrying up to 50 people, lost contact with air traffic controllers during a demonstration flight Wednesday, officials said.

The Indonesian military said the plane "fell" from the sky, Reuters reported.

"The airplane crashed at the edge of Salak mountain," President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told a news conference. "An investigation must be done immediately and thoroughly."

Search and rescue teams reached the rugged site on Thursday afternoon local time and saw several bodies, The Associated Press reported. Spokesman Gagah Prakoso said the bodies would be placed in nets and lifted by ropes to hovering helicopters.

Adek Berry / AFP - Getty Images

Indonesian soldiers along with members of a search and rescue team try to reach the site of the wreckage.

A photo taken from the rescue helicopter that found the debris appeared to show that the plane flew into an almost vertical wall of rock on an inaccessible part of the mountain.

Small pieces of white debris could be seen scattered down an exposed stretch of cliff surrounded by forest. Rescue officials said earlier that the walk to the site would take at least six hours.

'Completely ready to fly'
The aircraft was carrying Indonesian businessmen, Russian Embassy officials and journalists. Dimitry Solodov from the embassy said there were eight Russians on board, including pilots and technicians.

Those on board included eight crew and 42 guests, according to figures from the Russian Embassy.

The flight took off from Jakarta's Halim Perdanakusuma Airport at about 2 p.m. local time (3 a.m. ET) and disappeared from radar near the 7,200-foot Mount Salak in West Java, national search agency spokesman Gagah Prakoso told The Associated Press. It had been scheduled to return 50 minutes later.

AFP - Getty Images

A handout photo provided by Sergey Dolya shows Russian Sukhoi Superjet 100 taking off for a demonstration flight in Jakarta's Halim Perdanakusuma airport, on May 9.

Citing an official, Reuters reported that radio contact was lost with the plane after it descended from 10,000 feet to 6,000 feet.

"I saw a big plane passing just over my house," said Juanda, a villager who lives near Mount Salak told local station TVOne. "It was veering a bit to one side, the engine roaring. It seemed to be heading toward Salak, but I didn't hear an explosion or anything."

Olga Kayukova, a spokeswoman for Russia's United Aircraft Corporation, told Reuters the Sukhoi Superjet-100 was making a second flight as part of the demonstration program.

"The first flight was carried out in a normal mode ... The pre-flight preparations were carried out in full and the plane was completely ready to fly," she said. "According to information from Indonesia, the contact with the plane was broken after 20 minutes from the take-off ...  search works are under way."

An Indonesian charter airline Sky Aviation posted on its Facebook account what it said was a picture of a Sukhoi Superjet-100 at the airport.

Russia Today reported that Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev ordered a special commission to investigate the incident. Relatives of passengers that had gathered at the airport began crying when news of the wreckage was announced, according to the Russia Today story.

Mast Irham / EPA

Relatives of passengers on the missing Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft react as they check the list of the passangers at Halim Perdana Kusuma Airport in Jakarta, Indonesia, May 9.

With a capacity of up to 103 passengers, the Sukhoi's Superjet-100 was developed in partnership with Boeing and Italy's Finmeccanica. The plane is the first completely new airliner designed by Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The missing plane was on the fourth stop of a six-nation "Welcome Asia!" roadshow after having already been to Myanmar, Pakistan and Kazakhstan.

It was supposed to head next to Laos and Vietnam. Russia has hoped that the short- to mid-range jet, which made its maiden run in 2008, will help it break into international markets dominated by Boeing and Airbus.

Sukhoi, which has orders for 170 planes, plans to produce up to 1,000 Superjets, primarily for foreign markets.

Msnbc.com staff, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

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Sergey Dolya/ AFP - Getty Images

The missing Sukhoi Superjet-100 takes off for a demonstration flight from Jakarta's Halim Perdanakusuma airport on Wednesday. The aircraft was on the fourth stop of a six-nation "Welcome Asia!" roadshow after having already been to Myanmar, Pakistan and Kazakhstan.

Updated at 9:56 a.m. ET: A Russian-made airliner carrying 46 people lost contact with air traffic controllers during a demonstration flight in Indonesia Wednesday, officials said.

The Indonesian military said the Sukhoi Superjet-100 "fell" from the sky, Reuters reported. Several diplomats from the Russian Embassy, potential buyers from several Indonesian airlines and journalists were among the 38 passengers on board, according to Rear Marshal Daryatmo, a search and rescue official who only uses one name. There were also eight Russian crew members, he added.   

The flight took off from Jakarta's Halim Perdanakusuma Airport at about 2 p.m. local time (3 a.m. ET) and disappeared from radar near the 7,200-foot Mount Salak in West Java, national search agency spokesman Gagah Prakoso told The Associated Press. It had been scheduled to return 50 minutes later.

Citing an official, Reuters reported that radio contact was lost with the plane after it descended from 10,000 feet to 6,000 feet.

"I saw a big plane passing just over my house," said Juanda, a villager who lives near Mount Salak told local station TVOne. "It was veering a bit to one side, the engine roaring. It seemed to be heading toward Salak, but I didn't hear an explosion or anything."

Olga Kayukova, a spokeswoman for Russia's United Aircraft Corporation, told Reuters the Sukhoi Superjet-100 was making a second flight as part of the demonstration program. 

"The first flight was carried out in a normal mode ... The pre-flight preparations were carried out in full and the plane was completely ready to fly," she said. 

"According to information from Indonesia, the contact with the plane was broken after 20 minutes from the take-off ...  search works are under way." 

An Indonesian charter airline Sky Aviation posted on its Facebook account what it said was a picture of a Sukhoi Superjet-100 at the airport.

Mast Irham/ EPA

Relatives of people who were believed to be on the missing Sukhoi Superjet-100 aircraft check the passenger list at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Wednesday.

Search and rescue teams were heading to the area, said Bambang Ervan, a spokesman for the Ministry of Transportation. Bad weather, however, forced at least two helicopters to turn back.   

'No trace'
"A helicopter has just returned but says there is no trace of it. Rescuers are looking at the maps trying to determine where it could be," Sergey Dolya, who flew on the missing aircraft's first flight, told Russia Today.

Russia Today said a hijacking had not been ruled out by local officials, but noted the plane would have run out of fuel by now.

With a capacity of 68-103 passengers, the Sukhoi's Superjet-100 was developed in partnership with Boeing and Italy's Finmeccanica. The plane is the first completely new airliner designed by Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The missing plane was on the fourth stop of a six-nation "Welcome Asia!" roadshow after having already been to Myanmar, Pakistan and Kazakhstan.

It was supposed to head next to Laos and Vietnam. Russia has hoped that the short- to mid-range jet, which made its maiden run in 2008, will help it break into international markets dominated by Boeing and Airbus.

Sukhoi, which has orders for 170 planes, plans to produce up to 1,000 Superjets, primarily for foreign markets.

Msnbc.com staff, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

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An American on a flight from Dubai to Seattle suffered a heart attack and was taken to Iran for treatment, according to reports Saturday.

The AFP news agency, citing Iran’s ISNA service, said the Emirates aircraft was in Iranian airspace when the passenger, 52, became unwell and the plane landed in Tehran.

“Yesterday (Friday), an airplane belonging to the Emirates airline, flying from Dubai to Seattle and while passing over Iran’s airspace, contacted the control tower and announced that one of this flight’s passengers had suffered a heart attack,” Abbas Mosayebi, of Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization, was quoted as saying.

“Despite international sanctions against the Iranian people which also endanger their lives, yesterday we helped an American citizen in our country,” Mosayebi reportedly said, adding the man was still in a hospital Saturday.

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AFP said Swiss diplomats in Tehran, who handle American interests in the absence of a U.S. Embassy, declined to comment on the report.

The incident comes and the U.S. and other world powers are holding talks with Iran over its disputed nuclear program.

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A pilot made an emergency landing during a flight in Australia, reportedly telling air traffic controllers, "Look, you're not going to believe this. I've got snakes on a plane."

Australia's ABC News reported that Braden Blennerhassett, 26, swiftly put the Air Frontier plane on the ground after making the unusual mayday call during a flight from Darwin to the remote town of Peppimenarti on Tuesday. Air Frontier offers charter and scenic flights throughout Australia’s northern territory.

"My blood pressure and heart rate was a bit elevated -- it was an interesting experience," Blennerhassett told Nine News. "As the plane was landing, the snake was crawling down my leg, which was frightening."

On the ground, a firefighter discovered that the snake that crawled down Blennerhassett's leg was not alone -- a green tree frog was also on the aircraft, Nine News reported. No other wildlife was found, and both animals had disappeared by the time a wildlife ranger came for them.

Frog hunted?
It is thought the snake, believed to be a non-venomous green tree snake, may have been hunting the frog, Nine News said.

Geoffrey Hunt, director of Air Frontier, which owns the plane, clearly hadn't seen the Hollywood film "Snakes on a Plane."

"I have heard of crocodiles being loose in planes, but not snakes," he told ABC News.

He added that the plane was grounded "until we find the snake," expressing the hope that the aircraft would not have to be taken apart.

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