A British man who flew from London to the USA without a ticket disappeared without a trace after the court hearing

Craig Sturt, a Briton, managed to fly from London to New York without any documents and then disappeared without a trace. This story has puzzled British law enforcement and the airline industry.

According to witnesses, the 46-year-old man went through security at Heathrow Airport without showing his passport or ticket. He boarded a British Airways flight to John F. Kennedy Airport, where he was detained upon landing and sent back, the Independent reports.

Upon his return to the UK, Sturt was arrested and charged with violating the Aviation Security Act. He pleaded guilty at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court and was due to be sentenced last month, but it soon became clear that the man had escaped from Reading Hospital, where he had been sent for treatment before being incarcerated.

Home Secretary James Cleverly has demanded an investigation into how such a "humiliating fiasco" could have happened. Police are searching for Sturt, urging citizens to report men who resemble him suspiciously.

"The 46-year-old man is 6 feet tall, has a slim build, and short dark brown hair. When he was last seen, he was wearing a gray jacket, top, black sweatpants, and white sneakers," the description of the fugitive's appearance reads.

Witnesses are advised not to approach Sturt and to report his whereabouts to the relevant authorities. On January 31, the Metropolitan Police took over the investigation.