George Charles Airport
Operations were halted at the George F.L Charles (Vigie) Airport in Castries for approximately two hours on Friday morning (January 10, 2014) following a bomb scare.
Both police sources and the Saint Lucia Air and Seaport Authority (SLASPA) have confirmed the incident.
According to a statement from SLASPA, the bomb threat was made at about 9:30 a.m.
“The airport’s evacuation plan was immediately activated and airport staff, passengers and stakeholders were safely evacuated. The response of all teams including SLASPA and the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force was immediate,” SLASPA’s statement said.
Officers from the traffic, central police unit and bomb team were among those who were deployed to the scene.
No traffic was allowed to or from the airport during that time.
“The all clear was given at 11:43 a.m. and the airport has resumed its normal operations. There was minimum interruption to flights, with one scheduled flight being diverted to Hewanorra International Airport and one flight slightly delayed but was safely facilitated at 12:32 p.m.” SLASPA said.
The organization took the opportunity to thank its employees at the airport, stakeholders and passengers for their cooperation during the situation.
“SLASPA’s top priority remains the safety and security of all operations at the airport. Both of the Island’s two airports has maintained a long and strong record of safety and follows stringent international regulations and SLASPA remains committed to its mandate,” the organization said.
This morning’s bomb threat is believed to have been a prank.