Liverpool’s John Lennon Airport was evacuated yesterday evening after a battery pack was found in a passenger’s luggage.
The suspicious item was found during a security check and had to be assessed by specialist officers, police said.
They described the item as “a battery pack of unique appearance” and the man was detained.
In a statement Merseyside Police said: “Merseyside Police can confirm that officers attended Liverpool John Lennon Airport following reports of a suspicious item this evening, Tuesday, 29 August. At around 5.55pm, a suspicious item was found through routine security checks of a man due to fly out of the airport. The item was examined by specialist EOD officers and following enquiries, found to be a battery pack of unique appearance. The man in possession of the item was detained while these examinations took place.”
The airport was on lockdown and flights were unable to take off, the Liverpool Echo reports. All flights were grounded and the airport was evacuated while bomb disposal teams were called to investigate this evening.
A pilot told passengers on one aircraft they could not disembark while the incident is being dealt with.