East Midlands Airport passengers were evacuated from a terminal on Monday evening (October 24) while security checks took place on a passenger item. The passenger terminal at the airport was evacuated while further checks were carried out on an item being carried through security.
The airport has now been given clearance by authorities to reopen the terminal. A spokesperson said the airport would resume operations as soon as possible.
An East Midlands Airport spokesperson said: "Earlier this evening, the passenger terminal was evacuated as a precaution while further checks were carried out on an item being carried through security by a passenger.
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"All relevant authorities have now given clearance for the terminal to re-open and operations will resume as soon as possible. Safety and security are our number one priority and we thank passengers for their understanding and cooperation."
Before the airport's statement, passengers went to social media to try and find answers over the evacuation. One passenger, who had been waiting to fly out to Belfast, said her party had been "moved away from the main airport building" to the area which houses gates 18 to 23, an entirely separate gate to where the flight had been due to depart.
The passenger said she was told to "start moving" at 6.15pm. She said passengers had been handed bottles of water. Writing on Twitter, one person wrote: "I'm at East Midlands Airport. All passengers asked to leave the terminal. Still no ideal (sic) why as yet…" Others said they had been "stuck on a plane".
"We have been stuck on the plane since we landed at 6pm but haven't been given much of an update yet. No idea how long it might take," another passenger wrote. And another person added on Twitter: "My daughter and family are stuck on a plane. Hope it's sorted soon."
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