A private Home Office deportation flight for one man was cancelled on Thursday after he swallowed a lithium vape battery shortly before boarding. The man is an Egyptian foreign national with a history of disruptive behaviour during removal attempts. He was set to fly from the UK to Albania, then on to Egypt on a private flight. He had been held in segregated detention for several days prior and was given a vape during this time. After swallowing the battery, he was taken to hospital where he was treated successfully and returned to detention. Mitie, the Home Office contractor managing deportations, said: “This incident is currently being investigated. At this point, there is no evidence to suggest any wrongdoing or breach of procedure by our colleagues. Our priority remains the safety and wellbeing of those in our care.” The Home Office uses private charter planes mainly for deportations to Albania and other countries like Nigeria and Ghana. Flights for one person are rare and usually reserved for disruptive individuals. The cancelled flight had included a unique arrangement where the man would fly alone from Albania to Egypt with guards and crew. The cost of the cancelled Egypt leg is unknown but such private flights often cost hundreds of thousands of pounds. A Home Office spokesperson said: “Disruptive behaviour will not succeed, and we will be continuing with deportation action as soon as it is possible to do so.” Mitie is cooperating with investigations. Mitie has faced past problems, including escapes during deportations and issues at the Manston detention centre, which it currently manages under contract.