Bomb scares disrupt airports in France during RWC
Terror threats have disrupted air travel into and out of France, which – as host of the 2023 World Cup – is currently experiencing an influx of visitors through its airports.
Nine French airports were evacuated today following either bomb threats or the discovery of suspect packages.
The Local – a European English-language digital news publisher – reported that Lyon-Saint-Exupéry (and Lyon Bron), Rennes, Lille, Toulouse, Paris Beauvais, Nice, Strasbourg, Biarritz and Nantes were evacuated this morning.
While most of the suspended flights have now resumed, it reported that delays of several hours can be expected. This is expected to impact air travel, which has significantly increased in France as a result of it hosting the Rugby World Cup. With the semi-finals this weekend, the high volume of travellers is expected to continue.
The threats were received either by phone call or email.
The Local story says France is on high alert for a terrorist attack after an attack by an alleged radical Islamist at a school on Friday.
Le Monde reported today that other bomb threats have been experienced in France ‘since Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel and Friday’s fatal stabbing of a teacher in the northern city of Arras by a man claiming allegiance to the Islamic State group’.
Further information was not available at the time of publishing.
BREAKING:
6 airports are being evacuated in France after threat of terrorism attack pic.twitter.com/V62xDDwOj2
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) October 18, 2023
#FRANCE IS EVACUATING AIRPORTS DUE TO #TERROR THREATS! pic.twitter.com/zVsooHoGek
— Nikki (@nikkis_logic) October 18, 2023
Six airports in France are evacuated after threats of attack, Agence France-Press reported, citing police https://t.co/nOtRpyI9Yv
— Bloomberg Politics (@bpolitics) October 18, 2023
Read original story on www.citizen.co.za
