Two suspicious packages were found this Friday at Gatwick Airport and in the United States Embassy of Londonwith just a few hours difference between both incidents. The authorities have confirmed that these were false alarms unrelated to terrorist activities.
A large section of the airport’s south terminal Gatwicklocated south of London, evacuated as a preventive measure due to the investigation of a “security incident” related to a suspicious object. Through a statement on its profile on the social network X (formerly Twitter), the airport, the second busiest in the United Kingdom, reported that passengers would not be able to access that terminal until the situation was resolved.
“We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. The safety of our passengers and staff remains our top priority,” the airfield said in the message. Likewise, he asked all travelers to check with the airlines about the status of their planned flights.
The Police of SussexEdit established a security perimeter in the airport’s south terminal after the discovery of a suspicious prohibited object inside luggage. a team specialized in explosives disposal was mobilized to the site after the authorities activated an operation in response to an alert received at 8:20 in the morning, GMT time.
“The incident is generating major interruptionsand several roads have been closed in the surroundings of the southern terminal,” reported the Police, who recommended that the public avoid the area as much as possible. The authorities requested “patience” while work was carried out to resolve the situation.
According to information from the BBC, the trains that usually make stops at Gatwick station suspended that service, and buses bound for the airport did not enter the facilities either.
Around 3:00 p.m. GMT, airport authorities announced the resolution of the incident, allowing passengers to return to the south terminal. “The security alert registered this morning has been resolved and discarded by the Police. The South Terminal has reopened for staff and will soon be available for passengers“Gatwick airport said in a statement.
Hours earlier, the London Metropolitan Police reported the appearance of another suspicious package near the United States Embassy, located next to the London metro station. Nine Elmsin the neighborhood of Batterseasouth of Thames river. The area was cordoned off while the situation was assessed. Around 10:00 GMT, the authorities they carried out a controlled explosion of the object.
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