This is reminiscent of the situation experienced on numerous occasions in October 2023. Basel-Mulhouse airport was targeted this Friday afternoon by a bomb “alert”, requiring its evacuation and the temporary suspension of air traffic, indicates the airport on its website.
Earlier this Friday, Strasbourg airport was also targeted by such an alert and had to be evacuated, according to the local press, including France 3 Grand Est.
The airport has since been able to be reinstated and air traffic has resumed, after an operation to remove doubts.
For safety reasons, the terminal had to be evacuated and is currently closed.
Flight operations have been temporarily suspended.
Passengers are requested to contact their airline for information about their flight.
Update follows.
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— EuroAirport (@euroairportcom) March 15, 2024
“Since Friday morning, a number of airports have been targeted by bomb threats.
Some had to be evacuated when the removal of doubt without evacuation was sufficient in others,” confirms to Le Parisien the General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGAC) which has, for the moment, not been able to to communicate a precise number.
“We are monitoring this closely,” added the DGAC, fearing a phenomenon similar to that of last October.
Many false alarms in October
On October 18, fourteen airports had to be evacuated throughout the country, causing the cancellation of 130 flights throughout the day.
Threats had been received by email or telephone.
A similar situation occurred on October 19.
On the 20th, at least fifteen airports had also been targeted by threats, just like the Palace of Versailles, targeted numerous times at the end of 2023.
Also read: Bomb alerts at airports: what compensation in the event of a delayed or canceled flight?
At the same time, justice continued in mid-January to search for the authors of the false alarms.
On January 18, a 13-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of being at the origin of 380 false reports, including at airports.
As of January 16, 2024, 192 investigations into false bomb threats had been opened, an investigation which can cover several facts.
These false bomb threats remain reprehensible.
According to the Penal Code, “the fact of communicating or disclosing false information with the aim of making people believe that destruction, damage or deterioration dangerous to people is going to be or has been committed is punishable by two years of imprisonment. imprisonment and a fine of 30,000 euros.
The penalty can be up to 3 years in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros, “if it involves a threat of destruction, damage or deterioration dangerous to people”.