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The pilot, who was flying a Turkish Airlines plane to Turkey, said "I'm not flying. Someone's life is at risk," he said, referring to 22-year-old Samim Bigzad who allegedly faces beheading upon his return to Afghanistan.

Bigzad, who became hysterical during the boarding process, was rejected asylum after living in the UK for more than two years following an illegal entry via Calais.

More than 3,000 people signed a petition to demand a delay in the deportation, which activists said could put Bigzad’s life at risk.

Campaigners gathered at Heathrow Airport in an attempt to stop the deportation.

Organiser Bridget Chapman said activists “very quietly” approached passengers travelling on the same flight to explain the situation in the hope they would raise objections to crew members.

“We asked people to do whatever they were comfortable with raising it with airline staff,” she told the Independent.

“Pilots have a duty of care towards their passengers, so if they feel there’s a passenger at risk or who will disrupt the flight, they are obliged to ensure they don’t fly on the plane,” another anonymous campaigner added.

Kavel Rafferty, who was hosting Bigzad in her home for four months, said she left Heathrow believing the attempts to stop the deportation failed.

“The last message I’d had from him was so sad – it just said ‘they’ve come to take me’ and then the phone was switched off,” she told the Independent.

“But then he rang that night and told me ‘the pilot said no’. He was happy and relieved and shocked – it was a lot to go through in one day.

“We don’t know the name of the pilot but there are so many people who would like to thank him.”

Turkish Airlines has yet to provide a comment.

Althought Bigzad was taken to an immigration removal centre, deportation remains a likely option.