‘Serious’ phone threat shuts US airport
WASHINGTON — Flights at an airport in the US state of Virginia were suspended Tuesday and the terminal evacuated after a “serious” threat was phoned in, officials said.
On its Twitter feed (@Flack4RIC), Richmond International Airport said it had “received a threat by phone, deemed serious enough to evacuate the terminal as a precautionary measure.”
Sniffer dogs swept the terminal, baggage areas and parking zones, while travelers were advised to check with their airlines for rebooking options, before the all-clear was given.
“Update: #RIC terminal, including airline desks and security screening, re-opened to the public,” tweeted the airport four hours after receiving the undisclosed threat.
More than half a dozen airlines serve the state capital’s airport.
Elsewhere, a “small electrical explosion” prompted a brief evacuation of a concourse at Hatsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the southern state of Georgia.
“Passengers were evacuated but have returned,” said the airport on its Twitter feed (@Atlanta_Airport). “No injuries reported… Full power has been restored and all operations have resumed.”
Local television station WGCL traced the explosion to a ramp-level maintenance shop.
