A major international airport serving the UK’s second-largest city was evacuated and all flights were suspended for several hours on Wednesday because of a security alert.
West Midlands Police in central England ordered the partial closure of Birmingham Airport after receiving reports of a suspicious vehicle.
Airport authorities advised passengers not to travel while those already awaiting flights were forced to leave terminals on foot with their luggage.
“Whilst we apologise for any inconvenience and disruption, the safety and security of everyone at the airport was our number one priority,” a statement read.
West Midlands Police said the evacuation was a “precautionary measure” while the vehicle was searched and assessed.
“Following a search by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EDO) team the vehicle was deemed to be safe. The vehicle is no longer being treated as suspicious,” it added.
Birmingham Airport is the seventh busiest UK airport by passenger numbers and is used as an operating base for easyJet, Ryanair, TUI Airways and Jet2.com.
Its busiest routes are to and from Dublin, Dubai, Amsterdam, Palma de Mallorca and Tenerife-South.
“Operations will slowly be returning to normal,” an airport spokesperson said. “All passengers are advised to check latest flight information from their airline.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
British diplomats in Moscow were hit by a Federal Security Service-staged stunt as the UK’s deputy ambassador Tom Dodd was targeted by a throng of “journali
Geoff Capes still holds the British shot put record, which he set in 1980Geoff Capes of Great Britain prepares to throw during the Shot Putt event at the 1980 U
The late-stage trial will recruit about 25,000 people around the world to test the new vaccine from Moderna. ADVERTISEMENTA first-of-its-kind study
Flights on the routes will begin next montheasyJet will launch the new routes next month(Image: David Parry/PA Wire)easyJet will launch flights to two new desti