Jersey Airport reopens after security incident

About 300 passengers and staff were evacuated from Jersey Airport due to a "security incident", police have said.

States of Jersey Police said those affected were "safely evacuated" to a nearby health club after the incident at about 06:30 GMT.

In a post on social media, the force warned of disruption to all flights "until further notice".

Jersey Airport said its top priority was "the safety and security of everyone at the airport" and it reopened to passengers at about 11:15.

Disruption to flights is still expected and Jersey Airport said passengers should contact their airlines for information.

Airport operations director Ashley Maggs said the evacuation happened because of a "significant security incident" and they were taking it "very seriously".

At 09:30 he said they had "received information" and "had to investigate its credibility".

"At the moment it's deemed as doubtable non-credible but obviously we have to take every precaution," he added.

He said security teams were in the building and had been "going through protocols to make sure everything is safe".

Ports of Jersey worked with police to manage the incident.

It said: "We apologise for the inconvenience this may cause and appreciate the cooperation and understanding of passengers during this time.

"Our top priority is ensuring the safety and security of everyone at the airport.

"We are advising passengers to contact their airlines for updates."

Passenger Rena Dunphy was evacuated after check-in and said the airport was "covered with police at the minute".

Speaking to BBC Radio Jersey she said: "I got through security and at about 06:30 GMT the alarm started going off.

"They just got everyone out to assembly points, kept us there for roughly half an hour and then they got everyone out of the assembly points and into the car parks."

Ms Dunphy said people were then told to leave the car parks and to "go to Strive or basically go home and keep an eye on the airport website until further notice".

She said more than 100 people, including airport staff, had chosen to wait at nearby Strive Health Club.

"Police were just saying it was a security issue," she added.

"I don't think the staff even know because they were evacuated as well, they're not even letting the cars or buses or anything in."

George Bridger, who was part of a stag do on the way to Dublin, said the situation was "a bit of a surprise".

"So we'd all gone through security and got a drink and sat down, and some alarms went off basically advising us all to evacuate the airport as soon as possible," he said.

"We were waiting outside and police arrived and we were all escorted to the car park area and then told to leave the grounds altogether.

"It was a bit of a surprise I think a lot of people were confused if it was just a training exercise but it soon became apparent it was serious.

"Armed police arrived, fire trucks and lots of police vehicles turned up at the airport, I think we all realised it was a serious matter."

Victoria Ruellan and Jonathan Rodriguez were due to head home after spending a week in Jersey with their two young children.

"We've been on holiday here for a week and our flight was due to leave at eight twenty," Ms Ruellan said.

"We got to the airport an hour and a half before but we couldn't enter as it was blocked off.

"The police didn't have much to say, just to look on their social media and the airport website which again doesn't really tell us anything.

"We've got a connecting flight because we live in Tenerife so we need to be in Gatwick for 11:40 at the latest, we don't think we're going to make it."

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