HJAMES

Perth Airport is closed so some flights are being diverted to Adelaide.

Hope no one is having visitors tonight.

Sheff_Sparky

why is it closed?

HJAMES

Sorry that would help. Bomb scare - suspicious package at Malaysia Airlines Terminal

Sheff_Sparky

really?!!!

link please - if you can.

Icarus

http://www.perthairport.net.au/

Sheff_Sparky

Blimey

HJAMES

Sorry I dont know how to include links but its also on www.thewest.com.au

Icarus

You just did

HJAMES

I didn't know you did it like that. - and I have wondered for so long.

I thought you had to copy and paste!!!!

Sheff_Sparky

you can do if you wanted.

you find the page you want to link - right click on the address bar at the top of the screen to cut, go back to BE.

Sart a response/new post, right click and paste.

Done.

HJAMES

Thanks for that Sheff_Sparky. I will remember that for future.

Sheff_Sparky

no worries.

hitchcock71

my mum and dad are at the airport well on the rd towards the airport and have been for the past 3 hrs they should have taken off 1 hr ago

have no news i dont know if they are leaving to night or they are going tom

does anyone know?

ausi dream

Thank you , i have been trying to figure out how you do that and will now practice.

Karma sent for that.

HJAMES

'Suspicious package' leads to Perth Airport evacuationArticle from: PerthNowFont size: Decrease Increase Email article: Email Print article: Print Submit comment: Submit comment Linda Cann and Michael Washbourne

May 03, 2008 09:50pm
POLICE have evacuated the Perth International Airport building and flights have been diverted after a suspicious package was found on a Malaysian Airlines flight.

All flights are indefinitely delayed as Air New Zealand and Emirates flights remain on the tarmac.

Flight CX171 which was due to arrive at 11.40pm has been diverted to Adelaide and two other flights may also be diverted.

Police have blocked all entrances to the airport and cars are backed up for several hundred metres on Horrie Miller Drive.

Hundreds of people were still arriving at the airport at 11pm for late night flights but were unable to enter the airport as planes remained grounded.

People waiting to catch flights were unsure whether to stay and wait or leave.

Assistant Commissioner John McRoberts said a package, which was among unaccompanied freight on a Malaysian Airlines flight, was found on the bitumen underneath an aircraft.

“Earlier this evening, baggage handlers identified a package they thought was suspicious,” he said.

“We are standing by as we speak, for the bomb squad technicians to move in, to look at it, move it to a safe place where it can be x-rayed and be able to open the airport real soon.”

Comm. McRoberts said it was likely to be the biggest scale operation at the airport that he was aware of.

“We are treating it as a very serious incident. We have responded in accordance with our standard operating procedures for these types of events.

“The inconvenience to passengers and others is regretted, however I hope people understand this is for the safety of not only people, but the aircraft, the terminal building and the airport surrounds.

“It’s a major incident for us and we’re responding accordingly.

“As soon as we can we will clear the area if the package is indeed not an incensory device or anything suspicious, then hopefully airport operations will be back to normal as soon as possible.
“As I understand there are some people interviewing the baggage handlers at the moment.

“There is no danger to anybody at the moment and that is one of the reasons we have gone to the extraordinary steps of evacuating the international terminal.

People waiting to board planes were told to leave the airport immediately when a suspicious item had been found on the tarmac.

Cyriel Prins, who was in Perth on a business trip for his Dutch recruitment company, said he was waiting to board Malaysian Airlines Flight 124 when he was told to leave the airport without his luggage.

“There were three cardboard boxes, about 20-30cm high, sitting on the ground outside the plane. After an hour delay, we were told to leave the airport and leave our luggage,” he said.

“The whole airport was evacuated. There was a lot of police and security people but no-one was approaching the boxes.

“We didn’t know what was happening. I went outside and stood on the street with all the other people waiting.

“Nothing was organised - I had to book a hotel room and I’m just waiting for news. I can’t get through to the airport or the airline.”

Mr Prins was to fly back to Amsterdam today with a stopover in Kuala Lumpur, but said he would try to get another flight tomorrow.

Yvette Cherry and her husband Leigh were forced to park on a side street off Horrie Miller Drive as they waited to drive their parents to the airport for an Emirates flight to London.

“Police are on all the road corners telling people to stop at a certain point or to leave. But they have no information on how long the delay might be,” Mrs Cherry said.

“The police just said the airport was closed and later they told us there was a piece of luggage they weren’t happy with.

“Nobody’s angry. Everyone’s just confused and unsure whether to stay or go. It’s good that we’re being protected from any accidents.”

“When we got here at about 7.15pm, it was bumper to bumper, but now about half the people are leaving. Some people have got out of their taxis rather than leaving it idle and are just waiting on the side of the road. It’s backed right up to Tonkin Highway.”

Mrs Cherry said the airport and catering staff were also on the side of the road waiting

Taxis were told to leave the airport when the evacuation was called at about 7pm, leaving hundreds of people stranded.

But they were called back 30 minutes later, with instructions that 200 taxis were needed at the airport urgently.

Police released a statement explaining the International Airport was evacuated for safety reasons and no international flights would leave until further notice.

“Emergency services are in the process of examining the package and this process is expected to take some time.

“Horrie Miller Drive has been closed at the intersection of Tonkin Highway, Redcliffe.

“Public are advised to check with their airline carrier directly for incoming & outgoing information for their flights.

“Perth Domestic Airport remains fully operational.”

The Tactical Response Group was reported to be at the scene.

A witness said he saw an Air New Zealand aircraft drive up the runway and past the tower, moving away from the Malaysian Airlines plane.

Police said they were continuing to respond to the situation with emergency services as the airport remained open but the international terminal closed.

A further three flights were inbound to Perth with arrival times before 1am, but it was yet to be determined whether they would be diverted.


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