London’s Gatwick Airport was rocked by a security scare on Friday, leading to the evacuation of part of its South Terminal. Authorities rushed an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team to the scene after a suspected prohibited item was discovered in a piece of luggage. The airport confirmed the evacuation in a post on social media, stressing that the safety and security of passengers and staff was their top priority.
The South Terminal, one of the two main terminals at Gatwick, was placed under a security cordon, and passengers were barred from entering the area while investigations continued. The airport’s social media account assured the public that efforts were underway to resolve the incident as swiftly as possible, although no further details were provided regarding the nature of the suspicious item.
“We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible,” Gatwick Airport stated in a message on X (formerly Twitter).
This evacuation comes mere hours after a related security incident in central London, which may have heightened the overall security alert in the city. Earlier in the day, a “loud bang” was heard near the U.S. Embassy in south London. The British police confirmed that this noise was the result of a controlled explosion carried out by officers in response to a suspicious package found near the embassy. The area near the South Bank of the River Thames was cordoned off while officers investigated the package.
The U.S. Embassy, which moved to its new purpose-built location in Nine Elms in 2018 for safety reasons, confirmed that the controlled explosion was part of precautionary measures. The embassy also mentioned that a road near the building had been closed “out of an abundance of caution.”
As police continued their investigation into both incidents, the heavy presence of law enforcement and emergency services around the U.S. Embassy and Gatwick Airport led to significant disruption, with civilians being evacuated from the embassy and the South Terminal undergoing a complete security review.
As of now, no injuries have been reported, and the situation remains under investigation by London’s Metropolitan Police and airport security teams.
These incidents serve as a stark reminder of ongoing global security concerns and the heightened vigilance of authorities in protecting public spaces. The public is urged to follow safety instructions from local authorities while investigations proceed.
Sources By Agencies
