Passengers on an Air Serbia flight from Split to Belgrade were evacuated on Monday afternoon after a 75-year-old passenger told crew members there was a bomb on board before claiming he was joking.
Police Detain Passenger After Bomb Threat on Runway
A 75-year-old male passenger informed flight personnel that an explosive device was hidden on the aircraft at approximately 15:25, after the from Split Airport flight had been scheduled to depart for Belgrade at 15:20. He then added that he was only joking, according to the official statement from the Split-Dalmatia Police Department.
Law enforcement officers moved quickly onto the tarmac. Passengers watched from their windows as authorities secured the area, noting that several police officers entered the cabin wearing uniforms while others wore civilian clothes.
We were standing on the runway, and then suddenly several police officers entered the plane, some in uniform and some in plainclothes. Through the window, I saw a police vehicle next to the aircraft. They escorted out a grey-haired gentleman who was sitting in the third or fourth row Vinko Paić, passenger on the flight
“Spomenuo je reč bomba”
Flight attendant, speaking to passengers via Republika
Security Teams Inspect Aircraft After Cabin Evacuation
Several passengers became frightened and left the aircraft on their own initiative as word spread through the cabin.
Police confirmed that all travelers left the cabin while specialized teams initiated full counter-sabotage inspections.
“The plane has been emptied and will be reinspected before takeoff, and another screening of the passengers and luggage will be conducted”
Split-Dalmatia Police Department
