Airport: --- Hundreds of passengers leaving and coming to St. Maarten were taken by surprise when airline agents, pilots and airport security informed them that a bomb threat was issued at Princess Juliana International Airport just about 6pm on Friday.Fire fighters and other security agents were busy searching the Princess Juliana International Airport building, the aircrafts that were on the tarmac as well as the immediate surroundings for a bomb.
The airport was given clearance just about midnight on Friday after a thorough search of the entire facility was conducted. Normal operations are scheduled to resume on Saturday morning at 7am.
The all clear sign has been given by the emergency response team headed by Acting Governor Millicent De Weever with the support of Chief Commissioner of Police Ademar Doran, Chief Public Prosecutor Hans Mos and Airport Director Eugene Holiday.
Law enforcement agencies have searched the Princess Juliana International Airport Terminal Building as well as airport grounds as a precautionary measure due to a security threat that came in at 17:47 Friday afternoon.
The result of the operation that started at 17.47 and concluded at 23.30 is that nothing was found that would pose a security threat.
Roads leading towards the international airport were open to vehicular and pedestrian traffic. On Saturday morning the airport will resume normal operations at 7.00am.
According to passengers that arrived on KLM from Holland and was on their way to Bonaire said they were already on the plane and it was about to take off when the pilot informed them that they have to get off the airplane and get outside of the airport as they received security threat.
One passenger identified only as Anna said while she understands that the airport has to take every threat seriously no one updated them about their departure flight for almost two hours. The woman said they were practically kicked out of the building and was told to wait outside for further information. Other passengers who were also scheduled to leave on KLM back to Amsterdam said they were also eager to know if their plane would finally leave. It was over two hours after the ordeal airline agents came outside and asked the passengers to take the various buses that would take them to nearby hotels. Several of the passengers said while the ordeal was more than an inconvenience they wished the airline agents could have acted faster to take them away from the parking area and roadside.
Passengers that were supposed to leave St. Maarten to Tortola via LIAT were the hardest hit by the security threat on Friday. Some passengers that came from Sweden with KLM and in transit on St. Maarten to Tortola were told that they were on their own since LIAT is not taking any responsibility for the inconvenience caused by the threat.
A couple who gave their names only as Charles said they were travelling for over 24 hours from Sweden and this is their first time to St. Maarten. The woman said that LIAT agents basically told them that they were on their own and they should find a taxi and look for a hotel to stay.
The entire airport and traffic leading to the airport was cordoned by police as the search for the bomb was underway when the LIAT agent told this reporter that the decision was taken by LIAT headquarters and there is nothing the St. Maarten agents could do for the in transit passengers. About ten passengers most of them holding their hand luggage was standing in a small group as the other passengers left the airport. No one gave those passengers any direction or assistance for more that an hour before someone decided to give them a lift towards Simpson Bay where they would look for a taxi.
