False bomb alert at Brussels airport

(ANSA) – BRUSSELS, 25 AUGUST – A bomb scare that affected the entire terminal of Brussels airport between 11pm and 2am this morning turned out to be unfounded, but it did cause inconvenience to travellers. A spokesperson for Zaventem airport told the Belga agency. All checks were negative. The departures hall and the baggage area had been evacuated for safety reasons and to allow the police, who had received a “suspicious report”, to thoroughly inspect the premises. The baggage hall was the first to be cleared, shortly after 1.30am, and some passengers waited until 2.30am to be able to enter. While waiting for news from the police, several hundred travellers and numerous crews were forced to wait in the terminal and were not allowed to reach the baggage hall. Others were not allowed to disembark from the planes to avoid excessive queues at border controls. Access to the baggage area is now permitted but, according to some posts on social media, the waiting times for collection are quite long. (ANSA).