Flight delayed over WWII shell in luggage
26.09.08
A woman caused an airport in France to be evacuated when she tried to travel with a live WWII shell in her luggage. She had bought the 37mm military explosive in a second-hand shop as a present for her husband.
The 55-year-old, whose name has not been released, was boarding a Ryanair flight to East Midlands Airport from Bergerac when the shell was spotted by security guards scanning her suitcase. Bomb squad officers were called to the airport and took the shell, which was originally used in army field guns, to nearby wasteland.
Over 1000 passengers and staff at the airport were evacuated from the terminal building while the device was removed. The bomb squad destroyed the shell with a controlled explosion and said that it had contained very little of its original explosive.
A French police spokesman said: ‘The passenger told us she had no idea that taking a military shell through airport security would cause such a fuss. She said she bought it in a second-hand shop because her husband collected military memorabilia. Checks were made with the tradesman she bought it from and her story proved to be genuine, so charges will not be brought and she was allowed to leave.’
The 10:05 Ryanair flight finally took off 90 minutes late with the woman on board.
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