The entire south terminal of GATWICK Airport has been evacuated as police from the bomb squad investigate a “suspected prohibited item” found in luggage.
Passengers were told to “get out now and stay away” as trains were suspended to the UK’s second busiest airport.
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Hundreds of stranded passengers outside Gatwick AirportCredit: X/CGray8567
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An armed policeman stands guard outside the airport
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Roads are closed around the terminal and long queues are forming on the M23
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Evacuated passengers outside the South Terminal of Gatwick AirportCredit: Ruckas
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Policemen are combing the terminal
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Passengers being evacuated from Gatwick’s South TerminalCredit: X/ISawMarcoPolo
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Officers went to ‘security incident’Credit: X/LaurenceKC
Dozens of flights were delayed, grounded and forced to return in the air.
Officers rushed to the South Terminal at 8.20am after a “suspected prohibited item” was found in luggage.
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Explosive Ordnance Disposal officers have been deployed as a “precautionary measure”.
Roads are closed around the terminal and long queues are forming on the M23.
Trains will not stop at the airport until the terminal is cleared and passengers are being urged to delay their journeys.
Everyone already on the train to the airport was told to get off at an earlier stop.
Some passengers were sent by bus to the North Terminal, which remains open.
However, the Spanish airline Vueling has already changed some flights, it is understood.
The security threat comes just hours after officers detonated another suspicious package at the US embassy in London.
But it is not yet known whether these two packages are connected.
A passenger told The Sun: “Police are telling people to get out now and get as far away as possible.”
Blankets and bottles of water were reportedly distributed to passengers waiting in the cold outside the airport.
Posting on Twitter, Nick Meacham said: “I arrived at London Gatwick for a routine connection.
“We went through customs and learned that they were evacuating the entire airport.
“They even take people out through security. The trains are closed, and thousands of people are waiting all over the streets and parking lots.”
Tanya Willis, 30, was due to fly to Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt at 11.25am this morning for a weekend holiday.
Tanya, a teacher from Merton, London, said: “I arrived at the airport and they took me to the airport lounge.
“I was there for about 20 minutes and then a member of staff suddenly told me that everyone had to leave.
“The terminal has been evacuated, it’s very scary. No one can leave or get out.
“A lot of people were running, all the shops were closed. Looks like it’s Covid again.
She added: “Everything is just desolate – I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Sussex Police told The Sun: “Police were called to the South Terminal of Gatwick Airport at 8.20am following the discovery of a suspected prohibited item in luggage.
“To ensure the safety of the public, staff and other airport users, a security cordon has been put in place while the case is being dealt with.
“As a precaution, an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team has been deployed to the airport.
“This is causing significant disruption and some roads around the South Terminal are closed.
“We would advise the public to avoid the area wherever possible.”
Gatwick Airport said: “The South Terminal has been evacuated as a precaution while we continue to investigate the security incident.
“Passengers will not be able to enter the South Terminal while this is going on.
“The safety and security of our passengers and staff remains our top priority.”
The airport added: “We are working hard to resolve the issue as soon as possible.”
Thameslink, Southern Rail and Gatwick Express issued a joint statement advising passengers.
The statement reads: “Gatwick Airport will not be served until further notice.
“This is because of the police and emergency services that dealt with the incident at the airport.
“At the moment, the station and the airport are being evacuated while the police deal with the incident.
“We recommend postponing your trip until later in the morning.
“If you have already started your journey, you will need to leave the train at Horley, Three Bridges or Crawley stations and use local Metrobus services to Gatwick Airport.”
The spokesman added: “Your ticket will be accepted at no additional cost on these routes.
“Please note that buses may not be able to stop at their usual stops at Gatwick Airport.
“To clarify, we advise you not to travel to Gatwick train station at this time.”
Dozens of flights postponed
From Lisa Minot, Travel Manager
THE EVACUATION of Gatwick Airport’s South Terminal will have a major impact on unfortunate passengers trying to fly in or out today.
A total of 316 flights were scheduled to take off from the airport and 318 to land during the day – a total of 122,050 seats – according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.
The knock-on effect of the terminal evacuation will be felt throughout the day and into tomorrow as airlines will have to deal with planes – and cabin crew – in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Although airlines will not have to pay any compensation for delayed or canceled flights as this is a situation beyond their control, they have a duty to look out for passengers.
If your flight is delayed by more than two hours for short-haul flights, three hours for medium-haul flights and four hours for long-haul flights, your airline should provide you with food and drink or coupons to purchase them.
They should also provide you with accommodation and transport to and from the airport if your flight is delayed overnight. They should also reimburse you for any calls you need to make.
If your flight is cancelled, your airline should make sure you get to your destination as soon as possible, even if that means flying on another airline.
With the chaos surrounding airport evacuation, contacting your airline can be difficult.
If you have to buy food, drink or hotel accommodation yourself, keep all the receipts and keep the costs reasonable – they won’t pay you for five-course champagne.
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