 Cathay Pacific Airbus A330-300 on remote stand after explosives alert. | |
During baggage and cargo unloading of a Cathay Pacific Airbus A330-300 aircraft, on May 15th 2015, a ground worker discovered a luggage container with a hand written label in Chinese indicating "Explosives! Handle with care!" and alerted security forces, this resulted in a massive deployment of police and firefighters, in addition the bomb squad was called up.
The Cathay Pacific Airbus A330-300, registration B-LAZ on flight CX-494 from Hong Kong (China) to Taipei (Taiwan), had completed what appeared to be an uneventful flight with a safe landing in Taipei.
Julian Bray comments: Although all luggage containers and cargo are supposed to be scanned, sniffed and x-rayed for explosives, it has long been the case that some mid and far east airports are not as strict as they should be. The topic comes up time and time again at major aviation conferences and security or lack of it is a continuing major concern. In this case nothing was found and the aircraft released but the financial burden of deploying the security services and the bomb squad may well after investigation be charged back to the airline concerned. The bill is likely to be substantial.
The aircraft was taxied away from the terminal to a remote stand 605. The bomb squad subsequently examined the container and found no trace of explosives. The aircraft was then released to service after about 100 minutes on the ground.
The passengers for the return flight CX-495 to Hong Kong (China) boarded the aircraft at the remote stand and reached their destination with a delay of 30 minutes
.
Taiwan's Police identified the flight as CX-450 with 377 passengers and 17 crew ( which was flown by a Boeing 777-300 registration B-HNN) and reported that the luggage container had been loaded in Hong Kong, no one had access to the container until landing in Taipei, it is therefore being assumed, that the label was attached in Hong Kong. Surveillance cameras at Hong Kong Airport are now being checked.
Radar data as well as pictorial evidence rule out the Boeing 777-300 on flight CX-450 despite being identified as such by Taiwan's police. Radar data instead confirmed Airbus A330-300 B-LAZ, rotation CX-494/CX-495, as the aircraft involved parking at gate B6 initially then being pushed back to remote position 605, photos taken at the time, also identify an Airbus A330-300.
Both Hong Kong and Taiwan Civil Aviation Authorities are investigating the occurrence.
JULIAN BRAY ++44(0)1733 345581, Journalist, Broadcaster, Aviation Security & Operations Expert, Travel / Cruise Industry, EQUITY, NUJ, Broadcast COOBE ISDN ++44 (0)1733 345020 (DUAL CODEC) SKYPE: JULIAN.BRAY.UK e&oe Cell: 07944 217476 or iPhone 0743 530 3145 #VENDOR 10476453 http://feeds.feedburner.com/BraysDuckhouseBlog
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