A plane flying from London Heathrow to Warsaw made an emergency landing at Modlin after a report of an explosive device on board. There were 181 people on the aircraft, and Warsaw-Modlin airport has been closed until further notice.
According to a statement published on the airport’s website, which TVN24 cited, the bomb threat alarm on board was raised on Tuesday, 3 November, at 9:54 a.m. It concerned a flight from London Heathrow (LHR) to Warsaw. The plane, which was originally due to land at Warsaw Chopin Airport, was diverted to Modlin, as RMF FM reports. It landed at 10:01 a.m.
What the airport said
At the time of landing, the aircraft had 3.7 tonnes of fuel on board. As the airport’s statement reads, after landing the plane was directed to a designated area, where it is awaiting decisions from the relevant services, including bomb disposal teams. The airport remains closed until further notice, and the services are verifying the reported threat.
Airport spokesperson Adam Szabłowski told TVN24 that there are 181 people on board and that they are waiting for bomb disposal experts. According to RMF FM, officers are to check the aircraft and passengers’ luggage on site.
What is not known
As of publication, no information has been given on how long the airport will remain closed. There is also no information on the outcome of the search or on who reported the threat and how. It has not been disclosed which airline operates the flight, or whether passengers have already been removed from the aircraft. The police have not yet published a statement on the matter.
What it means
Passengers who were due to depart from or arrive at Modlin today should expect delays or changes to their flights and check the airport’s and their airline’s announcements. Reports of explosive devices at airports are often false, but the services must check each one according to procedure. In Poland, making a false alarm can carry a prison sentence of up to 8 years, and the perpetrator may also be liable for the airline’s losses. This article will be updated following statements from the services.
