[News] Gatwick South Terminal Security Incident

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Washboard Didgets

Graphic Designer

Nov 12, 2005

1,178

WSU W3H T or East Grinstead, W. Sussex

• Friday at 11:21 AM

• #1

South Terminal has been evacuated due to a security incident and no trains are stopping at Gatwick.

Some comments on social media mentioning a suspicious package, that is what some train passengers were told when their train was diverted to Three Bridges.

 

Bozza

You can change this

Helpful Moderator

Jul 4, 2003

57,311

Back in Sussex

• Friday at 11:28 AM

• #2

Seems to be a bit of that about today…

 

Eeyore

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Apr 5, 2014

25,940

• Friday at 11:42 AM

• #3

I don't think anyone who thinks this is linked to a change of policy in Ukraine would be foolish to do so. Causing disruption at a large scale is a tactic.

 

W

Washboard Didgets

Graphic Designer

Nov 12, 2005

1,178

WSU W3H T or East Grinstead, W. Sussex

• Friday at 11:59 AM

• Thread starter
• #4

Decent summary/update from Simon Calder.

Also Sky News reporting some roads around Gatwick are closed so definitely avoid the area.

 

Tom Hark Preston Park

Will Post For Cash

Jul 6, 2003

72,358

• Friday at 12:01 PM

• #5

BBC News just read out a 'breaking' statement from Sussex Police. The presenter's sound went dead at the exact moment he was reading what they had actually found then started again at the exact moment he was reading that '...as a result an ordinance team was despatched...'

 

Sid and the Sharknados

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Sep 4, 2022

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Darlington

• Friday at 12:02 PM

• #6

Eeyore said:

I don't think anyone who thinks this is linked to a change of policy in Ukraine would be foolish to do so. Causing disruption at a large scale is a tactic.

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Not sure the FSB have their finger on the pulse of British life if they think train travel being disrupted will alter anybody's opinion. I'm normally more perturbed when they run properly.

 

Eeyore

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Apr 5, 2014

25,940

• Friday at 12:07 PM

• #7

Sid and the Sharknados said:

Not sure the FSB have their finger on the pulse of British life if they think train travel being disrupted will alter anybody's opinion. I'm normally more perturbed when they run properly.

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'You're train has been cancelled- there will be one in four hours'

'Oh, that's good, I was expecting normal delays...'

 

GingerBeerMan

3-0

Dec 29, 2011

8,205

• Friday at 12:09 PM

• #8

Eeyore said:

I don't think anyone who thinks this is linked to a change of policy in Ukraine would be foolish to do so. Causing disruption at a large scale is a tactic.

Click to expand...

Actually pretty smart though. It'd be easy for an unidentified person to leave a package that would require the terminal to be evacuated. Almost impossible to find the culprit and would probably cost the economy millions.

 

jackalbion

Well-known member

Aug 30, 2011

4,936

• Friday at 12:11 PM

• #9

Sid and the Sharknados said:

Not sure the FSB have their finger on the pulse of British life if they think train travel being disrupted will alter anybody's opinion. I'm normally more perturbed when they run properly.

Click to expand...

Southern have stated on twitter that there is a security alert at Gatwick station, however GWR are saying there is a security alert at a station BETWEEN Gatwick and Redhill, so unknown if there is a major security alert at one of Horley, Salfords or Earlswood station as well

 

Eeyore

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Apr 5, 2014

25,940

• Friday at 12:16 PM

• #10

GingerBeerMan said:

Actually pretty smart though. It'd be easy for an unidentified person to leave a package that would require the terminal to be evacuated. Almost impossible to find the culprit and would probably cost the economy millions.

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Yes, I agree.

I'm not given to wild theories, but a day or two after Russia says it reserves to right to strike at proxy nations there is huge disruption at the US embassy in London and one of the main inward terminals costing millions. I wouldn't be shocked if the two are linked.

Even if it turns out not to be the case, it's the sort of thing I would expect moving forward.

 

Bry Nylon

Test your smoke alarm

Helpful Moderator

Jul 21, 2003

20,576

Playing snooker

• Friday at 12:55 PM

• #11

Washboard Didgets said:

South Terminal has been evacuated due to a security incident and no trains are stopping at Gatwick.

Some comments on social media mentioning a suspicious package, that is what some train passengers were told when their train was diverted to Three Bridges.

Click to expand...

Can't we just pretend we're not in, and hope the FSB leave the package with France instead and a little card telling us were it is?

 

Deadly Danson

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Oct 22, 2003

4,614

Brighton

• Friday at 12:59 PM

• #12

Just landed at the South Terminal. Not being allowed off yet but apparently being bussed to the North Terminal. I may ask them to bus me straight to Bournemouth for the match tomorrow.

 

Giraffe

VERY part time moderator

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Aug 8, 2005

27,237

• Friday at 1:05 PM

• #13

I’m at Victoria. A lot of disappointed people with suitcases…

 

Official Old Man

Uckfield Seagull

Aug 27, 2011

9,109

Brighton

• Friday at 1:25 PM

• #14

Normally, incidents like this are cleared very quickly. Suspicious bag, get machine in, open it, blow it up, next weeks washing blown up by mistake.
This seems to be bigger and longer than a normal 'scare'.

 

Bry Nylon

Test your smoke alarm

Helpful Moderator

Jul 21, 2003

20,576

Playing snooker

• Friday at 1:29 PM

• #15

Official Old Man said:

Normally, incidents like this are cleared very quickly. Suspicious bag, get machine in, open it, blow it up, next weeks washing blown up by mistake.
This seems to be bigger and longer than a normal 'scare'.

Click to expand...

Friday, innit?

Standard Operating Procedure for a job on a Friday is string it out till 16.58hrs.

 

Harry Wilson's tackle

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Oct 8, 2003

56,179

Faversham

• Friday at 1:32 PM

• #16

Sid and the Sharknados said:

Not sure the FSB have their finger on the pulse of British life if they think train travel being disrupted will alter anybody's opinion. I'm normally more perturbed when they run properly.

Click to expand...

I think we have to face facts and surrender to Russia now. Starmer OUT!

 

dazzer6666

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Mar 27, 2013

55,591

Burgess Hill

• Friday at 1:32 PM

• #17

Official Old Man said:

Normally, incidents like this are cleared very quickly. Suspicious bag, get machine in, open it, blow it up, next weeks washing blown up by mistake.
This seems to be bigger and longer than a normal 'scare'.

Click to expand...

You missed ‘get 10s of thousands of staff, passengers and their luggage a safe distance away, check for anything that might explode/catch fire in the relevant area and work out how to deal with incoming planes, trains and traffic before blowing up said item’

 

Harry Wilson's tackle

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Oct 8, 2003

56,179

Faversham

• Friday at 1:33 PM

• #18

Official Old Man said:

Normally, incidents like this are cleared very quickly. Suspicious bag, get machine in, open it, blow it up, next weeks washing blown up by mistake.
This seems to be bigger and longer than a normal 'scare'.

Click to expand...

They latest comment on R5 is 'unauthorized item'.

 

dazzer6666

Well-known member

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Mar 27, 2013

55,591

Burgess Hill

• Friday at 1:34 PM

• #19

Harry Wilson's tackle said:

They latest comment on R5 is 'unauthorized item'.

Click to expand...

Flask with lid.

 

Tom Hark Preston Park

Will Post For Cash

Jul 6, 2003

72,358

• Friday at 1:42 PM

• #20

Word to the wise: if you ever find yourself airside at LGW North when the fire alarm goes off, head immediately upstairs. The nearest emergency exit there is still airside, they farm you out to some airside area where the food trucks and the dog handlers live. You might still make your flight. Bizarrely once happened to me on both legs of a Gatwick-Aberdeen-Gatwick trip. At both airports the terminal evacuation was caused by somebody burning the toast in a catering outlet. Sake!