Walter Finch
FLIGHTS to Spain are facing disruption after a suspicious package at a London airport forced a partial evacuation.
A bomb disposal team has been sent to Gatwick Airport, where the South Terminal has been cleared, including passengers who had already passed through security.
A routine security sweep discovered ‘a suspected prohibited item in luggage’ early this morning.
Airport workers ‘immediately evacuated’ the whole land side of the terminal, including the area before security control, the check-in area and the railway station built into the airport, travel expert Simon Calder told LBC.
Estepona resident Campbell Ferguson of Surveyed Spain told the Olive Press they were forced to wait on the plane after landing from Malaga
“The pilot got on the intercom and told us we’d have to wait a bit as there’s a security alert in the South Terminal,” he said from the airport.
“In the end we waited about half an hour on the tarmac before getting off.
“Luckily we just had hand luggage with us. But for those with luggage in the hold, heaven knows how they’re going to get those things back.”
Scenes from the airport show thousands of people milling around outside the main building – some in heat-trapping foil blankets – under clear blue skies.
The mood was described as calm but anxious as huge swathes of the airport were evacuated in fear of a major explosion.
“Police were called to the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport at 8.20am following the discovery of a suspected prohibited item in luggage,” Sussex Police said in a statement.
“To ensure the safety of the public, staff and other airport users, a security cordon has been put in place whilst the matter is dealt with.
“As a precaution, an EOD [explosive ordnance disposal] team is being deployed to the airport.”
There are 316 flights scheduled to depart from the airport today – including at least 15 to Spain this afternoon – and a further 318 due to arrive, according to aviation analytics website Cirium.
A spokesperson for the airport said: “Passengers are not able to enter the South Terminal while this is ongoing and trains are not currently stopping at Gatwick Airport.
“Safety and security of our passengers and staff remains our top priority. Passengers should contact their airline for further information.”
Travellers have been told to expect a lot of cancellations today as a result.
