Normal operations were suspended for 90 minutes at Bratislava Airport on Thursday, October 21, after an anonymous e-mail was received threatening to blow up the airport unless a sum of money was paid.
Police searched the airport but did not find any explosive, and at 14:45 the airport was reopened, spokesperson Daniela Madunická told the SITA newswire. She added that the interruption affected three flights and 350 passengers arriving and departing. Flights to Prague and Alghero (in Sardinia, Italy) were delayed by 30 minutes, while passengers arriving from Girona (in Spain) had to remain on board their plane until the police search was completed.
Madunická said that the incident was not expected to affect any further flights on Thursday. No flights were diverted to other airports. Bratislava Police spokesman František Peczár reported that the police had started a criminal investigation into spreading of a false alarm and attempted blackmail.
Source: SITA
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
