niceneasy
16th Aug 2006, 03:58
Boy, 12, beats UK airport security
August 16, 2006 - 12:46PM
British police want to know how a 12-year-old boarded an aircraft at London's Gatwick airport during the security clampdown without a passport or a boarding pass.
The boy got on an airliner bound for Lisbon, Portugal, on Monday, when British airports were still operating at their highest level of security following the thwarting of an alleged plot to blow up US-bound airliners in mid-flight.
He had run away from a care home in Merseyside, western England, and travelled to London by train.
The boy somehow managed to get through airport security, board the plane and take a seat before a member of the Monarch Airlines crew noticed he had no boarding pass. He also did not have a passport or any other travel documents.
Sussex Police said they were concerned by the security breach, The Times reported, and an investigation was under way.
"The boy had passed through a full security screening process and we are confident there was no threat to passengers, staff or the aircraft at any time," a spokesman for the British Airports Authority (BAA) at Gatwick airport said.
Security restrictions were heightened on Thursday when Britain raised its terror alert level to "critical" over the alleged plot to blow up US-bound planes.
Twenty-four people were arrested in pre-dawn raids on Thursday. One has since been released, and another person was arrested yesterday.
Britain on Monday lowered its terror threat level to "severe" - the fourth highest level, but security restrictions at many airports were not eased until Tuesday.
AFP
August 16, 2006 - 12:46PM
British police want to know how a 12-year-old boarded an aircraft at London's Gatwick airport during the security clampdown without a passport or a boarding pass.
The boy got on an airliner bound for Lisbon, Portugal, on Monday, when British airports were still operating at their highest level of security following the thwarting of an alleged plot to blow up US-bound airliners in mid-flight.
He had run away from a care home in Merseyside, western England, and travelled to London by train.
The boy somehow managed to get through airport security, board the plane and take a seat before a member of the Monarch Airlines crew noticed he had no boarding pass. He also did not have a passport or any other travel documents.
Sussex Police said they were concerned by the security breach, The Times reported, and an investigation was under way.
"The boy had passed through a full security screening process and we are confident there was no threat to passengers, staff or the aircraft at any time," a spokesman for the British Airports Authority (BAA) at Gatwick airport said.
Security restrictions were heightened on Thursday when Britain raised its terror alert level to "critical" over the alleged plot to blow up US-bound planes.
Twenty-four people were arrested in pre-dawn raids on Thursday. One has since been released, and another person was arrested yesterday.
Britain on Monday lowered its terror threat level to "severe" - the fourth highest level, but security restrictions at many airports were not eased until Tuesday.
AFP