"British airport alert as children take air pistols on plane"

September 25, 2001

British airport alert as children take air pistols on plane
Agence France Presse


LONDON, (AFP) - A group of schoolchildren caused a major security alert
at a Scottish airport late Monday when they tried to take air pistols on
board a plane, an airport spokesman said.

The youngsters were part of a school group from Norway returning home on
a flight from Aberdeen Airport, northeast Scotland.

All 95 passengers on board the Norwegian-based Braathens Airways flight
were evacuated from the aircraft minutes before take-off after security
officers detected the firearms in some of the children's luggage.

The Stavanger-bound flight had been due to take off at 7:00 pm (1800
GMT) but did not leave Aberdeen until just after 10:00 pm.

A number of officers from the local Grampian Police were called in to
help investigate.

A spokesman for the airport said: "This flight was delayed because of a
security alert on board, which was noticed shortly before departure.

"Some children on the flight had tried to take air pistols on the plane,
but these were identified during normal security procedures."

He added: "No one was detained after the incident and everyone got back
on the plane."

He said all luggage on the plane had to be taken off and re-examined
before passengers were allowed back on board.

Airport security around the world has been dramatically tightened
following the September 11 terror blitz on the United States, during
which four commercial airliners were hijacked.

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