London: Gatwick airport evacuated after security incident, thousands stranded
Thousands of flyers wait outside airport | Bus and train services to airport also disrupted
PTC Web Desk: Chaos erupted at Gatwick Airport's South Terminal on Friday after the authorities evacuated a large portion of the terminal due to a "security incident." Thousands of travellers were left stranded outside the airport as bomb squads rushed to the scene following the discovery of a suspected prohibited item in a piece of luggage.
In a statement on X, the airline confirmed that the area was cordoned off as a precautionary measure. "The safety and security of our passengers and staff remains our top priority. We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible," they said.
Visuals from outside the airport showed hundreds of passengers gathered on the streets and in car parks, anxiously waiting for operations to resume. Flight operations were severely disrupted, with many flights either delayed or diverted. Authorities confirmed that travelers would be restricted from entering the terminal until the situation was resolved.
To provide some comfort to stranded passengers, emergency foil blankets were distributed, as temperatures dropped. Bus and railway services to the airport were also impacted, with no trains stopping at the Gatwick Airport station and buses rerouted.
The incident occurred on the same day UK police carried out a controlled explosion outside the US Embassy in London after a suspicious package was found. The Metropolitan Police confirmed the "loud bang" heard in the vicinity was the controlled explosion carried out by their officers.