The National Crime Agency has announced that a British individual has been arrested as part of investigations into the cyber-attack which crippled several European airports last weekend.

The NCA said that a man in his forties was held in West Sussex under suspicion of offences under the Computer Misuse Act, and later released on bail.

“Although this arrest is a positive step, the investigation into this incident is in its early stages and remains ongoing,” said Paul Foster, head of the NCA’s national cybercrime unit.

“Cybercrime is a persistent global threat that continues to cause significant disruption to the UK. Alongside our partners here and overseas, the NCA is committed to reducing that threat in order to protect the British public.”

Air travellers faced delays and disruptions across Europe, including at Heathrow and Dublin, following the cyber-attack on 20th September, which affected Collins Aerospace, a firm which delivers the technical system behind check-ins and baggage systems across several airports.

Early reports saw the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) confirm that the attack was linked to ransomware, though the organisation has yet to confirm the origins of the attack as it works with Collins Aerospace

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Reports from the BBC indicate that the software provider is currently struggling to bring its check-in capability back online, with an internal memo being sent to airport staff at Heathrow suggesting the system is being rebuilt following an initial attempt at relaunch on Monday.

Research from defence giant Thales this summer found a 600% increase in ransomware attacks in the aviation sector in one year, with 27 major attacks recorded from around two dozen ransomware groups.