Travel News Today

Grenade Shuts Down Airport

The actions of a traveller caused the Saint John Airport and city police to pull the pin and dive for cover. But no charges will be laid because, according to city police, there was no intent. Stupidity, but no intent.

"It's a dummy," said Sgt. Pat Bonner of the Saint John Police Force, not being clear whether he was talking about the grenade or the man carrying it.

Just after 6 p.m. Monday a security screener at the airport saw something on the X-ray machine that set alarm bells off. As workers looked at the screen, they found themselves staring at one army issue hand grenade in the man's baggage that was being screened before being put on the Toronto, Calgary-bound flight.

The airport authority and police closed down the airport for more than 45 minutes until approximately 7 p.m., delaying the WestJet flight for some 15 minutes.

"Hats off to the security people in there that do the X-raying of the baggage," said Bonner outside the terminal as things slowly returned to normal. "It looked like a grenade and was a grenade."

The grenade was disabled, and turned into a decorative device.

While the man, who is in his 20s, was taken into custody along with the grenade, 19 passengers stayed on the flight and another 65 passengers were forced out into the parking lot. The employees of the airport were sent onto the tarmac. The man's identity will not be released, because he was not charged.

WestJet released a prepared statement on the tense incident.

Safety is WestJet's number one priority," read the release from its Calgary head office. "There are processes in place to ensure that suspicious items, even in checked luggage, are found and we are thankful that this process worked and with (Monday's) outcome"

Anna-Karina Tadunar of the Canadian Air Transport Authority that oversees airport security contractors at 89 airports across the country, said it's a monthly occurrence.

"Every so often there are cases of people who have loose bullets in their carry-on baggage or ammunition in their checked baggage," said Tadunar from Ottawa.

"There are people who try to come on airplanes with belt buckles shaped like grenades, perfume bottles shaped like grenades. It can't be taken lightly."

Tadunar had no comment on the lack of charges in the incident and directed people to its website (http://www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca/english/) for more information on what can and can't be taken on a plane.

(TELEGRAPH-JOURNAL)