An investigation is under way into how a container with a Nazi symbol daubed on it ended up on a British Airways cargo flight to Israel.

A shipment with a swastika sprayed on it was discovered in the cargo of the flight when it arrived in Ben Gurion airport last Saturday.

Transport staff alerted the Israel Airports Authority, which is now looking into whether the person responsible for the graffiti was an employee.

An IAA spokesman told Ynet: “This is a very serious incident.

“We are treating it just like an infiltration of a hostile – or at least unauthorised – element into cargo transferred to Israel.”

A spokesman for British Airways said: “We condemn unreservedly any portrayal of highly offensive symbols of this sort.

"We are taking this matter extremely seriously and a thorough investigation has been launched."