The airport administration speaks of a precautionary evacuation without giving details. The railway station serving the airport has been closed.
A large section of the south terminal of Gatwick Airport outside London has been evacuated by police due to a “security incident”.
The airport administration is talking about a precautionary evacuation so that a police investigation can be carried out, without giving details about the incident.
However, local police said in a statement that British police had dispatched a team of fireworks after a suspected prohibited item was found in a piece of luggage.
Gatwick airport evacuation #London pic.twitter.com/om3BIbROk0
— Marco Pajo (@ISawMarcoPolo) November 22, 2024
At the same time, the railway station serving the airport has been closed until further notice.
According to police, an alert was raised at Gatwick Airport at 8.20am (local time) after a suspicious object was discovered in the luggage.
The traveling public is advised to delay their journey to the airport, with flight delays considered unavoidable.
“The safety and security of our passengers and staff remains our top priority. We are working hard to resolve the issue as soon as possible,” Gatwick said in a statement.
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team deployed at airport ‘as a precaution’
According to a statement from Sussex Police, an explosive ordnance disposal team was sent to the airport “as a precaution”.
“Police were called at 8.20am on Friday after a suspected prohibited item was discovered in the luggage. “To ensure the safety of the public, staff and other airport users, a security cordon has been put in place while the matter is investigated,” the statement said. “This is causing significant disruption and some surrounding roads have been closed. We urge the public to avoid the area where possible.”
More than 300 flights are scheduled to depart from Gatwick today
According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, 316 flights are scheduled to depart Gatwick Airport today.
This means over 60,650 seats in total, but not necessarily that many passengers, as not all seats may be booked.
Another 318 flights are scheduled to arrive at the airport, or 61,400 seats.
These are figures for both the south and north terminals. The North Terminal is currently unaffected by the security incident.
Source :Skai
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