The only UK flight to fly over crumbling Twin Towers – and its role in what happened next

Britain's role in the aftermath revealed

For the very first time, the former MI6 chief told the full story of the RAF plane that crossed the Atlantic and flew over the burning wreckage of the Twin Towers, during the time that US airspace remained closed following the attacks.

Sir Richard spoke about his subsequent meetings with US intelligence as Osama bin Laden was identified by them as the ultimate mastermind of the attacks, as he revealed what he saw on that flight.

Following the terrorist attacks on 9/11, American airspace was effectively closed, following George W. Bush’s orders, who has US president at the time.

In spite of airspace closing, an RAF aircraft carrying senior British officials crossed the Atlantic and flew over New York.

Sir Richard Dearlove, the former Head Of SIS, pictured here in 2008. Credit: Getty Images

What the head of MI6 saw at the time of the attacks revealed

Dearlove, head of MI6, had a clear a view of the burning remains of the Twin Towers.

He described seeing the aftermath from the air and then travelling into the United States at an extraordinary moment when the country was essentially shut down.

Following the tragedy, Dearlove had meetings with senior US intelligence officials and was involved in the early British-American assessment of who was responsible for the attacks.

By British and American intelligence, Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda were identified as the masterminds.

According to Dearlove, the UK understood very quickly that the US would feel compelled to respond militarily and that there was a risk of an “overreaction”.

As a result, Britain started to think about how it could influence and work with the Americans.

In the Sky News interview, a significant disagreement between British and American intelligence over the role of another world leader was also discussed, in addition to how these assessments eventually fed into the decisions surrounding the Iraq War.

The early conversations, it is revealed, helped shape Britain’s relationship with America and the subsequent War on Terror, following British intelligence learned in the immediate aftermath of 9/11.

The account by the former head of MI6 provides a rare first-hand perspective from someone at the very top of British intelligence and Britain’s close alignment with the US after 9/11, as well as the political decisions that followed.