Hundreds of travelers were forced to wait outside the terminal of Eindhoven Airport on Thursday. And all because of the discovery of a ‘possible firearm’, which later turned out not to be a firearm at all. Frustrating, but understandable according to the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee. “Safety comes first.”
It went wrong on Thursday afternoon around a quarter to two, when a traveler arrived at the security check after checking in. “The security guards at Eindhoven Airport themselves work there,” explains a spokesman for the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee. “When this person’s luggage went through the CT scan on the well-known conveyor belt, the employee saw in the images what looked like a firearm.”
At such a moment, all safety protocols come into effect. “As soon as there is doubt, everything is shut down. Then the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee immediately joins in and in some cases, such as Thursday in Eindhoven, also the National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism (NCTV).”
“We’ve even seen ballpoint pens that you can use to shoot things.”
Then the analysis starts. What it looks like exactly depends on the situation. Often the suspicious object is looked at closely. Such a thorough check is badly needed, says the spokesperson: “Sometimes something doesn’t look like a weapon at all at first, but it is. We have even seen ballpoint pens that you can use to shoot things.” It also happened at Eindhoven Airport: in 2019 a mini-revolver was intercepted there.
In this case, the suspected weapon ultimately did not have to be removed from the baggage. “On the basis of the scan images, we were able to determine that it could not be a firearm.” Which made it clear that it was not a real rifle or pistol, the spokesperson cannot say for security reasons. But the terminal will not be released until all parties involved have given their approval.
“Think of a key ring in the shape of a gun or even a hand grenade.”
It is also not disclosed what the object actually was. “But as an example: in the past we found all kinds of things that looked like a weapon, but later turned out to be just a souvenir. Think of a key ring in the shape of a gun or even a hand grenade.”
And although it turned out to be a false alarm in Eindhoven, these kinds of protocols are of great importance, according to the spokesperson. “It is not for nothing that we have a strict safety regime in aviation. Only when we can say with certainty that there is no danger can things be restarted. No matter how annoying that sometimes is.”
Although he understands all too well that it is a big draw for all stranded travelers, especially if flights are cancelled. “Unfortunately, it took quite a long time on Thursday. For all victims I hope that something like this does not happen again soon. But in the end, safety is above all.”
READ MORE:
Flights canceled at Eindhoven Airport after possible firearm found
Travelers are fed up with canceled flights: ‘We were so excited’
Waiting for privacy settings…