Two simultaneous incidents sparked disruption in London on Friday, forcing the evacuation of a Gatwick Airport terminal and the controlled explosion of a suspect package later determined to have been a "hoax device" near the US embassy.
Police were called to London's second-largest airport at 8.20am following the discovery of a "suspected prohibited item" in luggage, prompting the evacuation of a large part of its south terminal. Around 100,000 passengers are set to fly in and out of the airport on Friday, but many are likely to miss their flights. The terminal reopened after six hours.
A "suspect package" was discovered near the US embassy in south London, at around the same time as the Gatwick incident, leading to the closure of a nearby road in Nine Elms "out of an abundance of caution". Police later said initial inquiries suggest the item was a "hoax device" and said an investigation will follow. There is no indication that the two incidents are linked.
People near the embassy told The National the incident there began at around 8.30am. It was still in progress at noon, with cordons surrounding the building and armed police standing guard, while officers swept the area with dogs, checking terraces and underneath cars.
The embassy said it had resumed "normal business operations" in a statement issued shortly before 1pm. "The US embassy is back to normal business operations, with the exception that all public appointments (visa appointments, passport appointments, and other American Citizen services) for 22 November have been cancelled. Applicants will be contacted via email to reschedule. Local authorities investigated and cleared a suspicious package outside the embassy," it said in a statement on X. "Thanks to @metpoliceuk for your swift action, and thanks to all visitors for your co-operation and patience at this time."
Nick Watson told The National he arrived at the embassy at around 10am for a visa appointment to find the building cordoned off and surrounded by police. "There were police everywhere. They had the tape up. We were told to wait a couple of hours, so we are holed up in the restaurant opposite."
Police released a statement confirming the "loud bang" heard in the area was a controlled explosion carried out by officers. "Enquiries are still ongoing and cordons will remain in place for the time being," it said on X earlier in the day.
Protesters with "Stop the Genocide" banners were gathered outside. The protest has been in place since September.
The US moved its embassy from Mayfair, central London, to a 12-storey purpose-built glass cube in Nine Elms in 2018, partly for safety reasons. The formerly industrial area houses dozens of upmarket apartment buildings alongside Battersea Power Station, a 1930s-era landmark featuring red brick and white chimneys, which has been redeveloped as a shopping and tourist centre.
The incident comes days after the US closed its embassy temporarily in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, over the threat of a Russian strike. Police said a security cordon would remain in place while the matter is dealt with.
'Suspected prohibited item in luggage'
Gatwick, Britain's second-busiest airport, which is located about 30 miles south of London, said it had evacuated a large part of its south terminal, citing a security incident. "Police were called to the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport at 8.20am on Friday following the discovery of a suspected prohibited item in luggage," Sussex Police said in a statement. "As a precaution, an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team is being deployed to the airport."
Two people were later arrested in connection with the incident but were later release without further action being taken.
The airport released a statement at 2.44pm announcing the security alert had been resolved, and that the terminal was re-opening, but warned there were some flight delays and cancellations.
Around 100,000 passengers were set to travel through the airport on Friday. A number of flights to and from the south terminal were cancelled, including at least 16 departures and 13 arrivals by British Airways.
The Spanish carrier Vueling ordered one inbound flight each from Barcelona and Seville to turn around and return to their origin airports. A Norwegian flight to Bergen departed two hours and seven minutes late.
A spokesman for Gatwick said: "A large part of the south terminal has been evacuated as a precaution while we continue to investigate a security incident. Passengers will not be able to enter the south terminal while this is ongoing. Safety and security of our passengers and staff remains our top priority. We are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible."
The north terminal is unaffected. Train services at Gatwick have been suspended, as the railway station is attached to the south terminal.
