A word, "boom", and a time, 22:31. That message written on the bathroom mirror of an airplane has activated all security protocols on Sunday night at the Guacimeta airport. The flight was preparing for boarding and takeoff to Stansted Airport, near London, when staff found the message.
The Civil Guard was immediately notified, and several agents and dogs trained to locate explosives were sent to the airport. An hour and a half later, the Civil Guard ended the operation, concluding that it was a false alarm, the result of a possible "hooliganism" by a passenger.
Thus, shortly after 22:30 hours, boarding and takeoff of the plane was authorized. While the security protocol lasted, the airport continued to operate and landings were carried out normally, although other takeoffs were affected by the device and suffered some delay.
"Atmosphere of expectation"
The flight in which this incident occurred belongs to the Thomas Cook company. At the time of finding the message and activating the security protocol, airport workers were already loading the suitcases on the plane, although passengers had not yet boarded.
Firefighters and Civil Guard agents have traveled to the scene, who have ordered workers to leave the area and have begun to inspect the plane.
"There is an atmosphere of expectation. The presence of firefighters, sirens... It is very striking and more so at night," a worker told La Voz, who does not remember that a similar episode has ever been experienced at the Lanzarote airport.
Finally, everything has been a scare, the result of a "joke" in bad taste, and an hour and a half after the alarm was activated, the situation returned to normal in Guacimeta.
