AirAsia operated flight FD3003 was five minutes from its scheduled landing time at the airport when staff received a call telling them the bomb had been hidden onboard the aeroplane.
Officials at the airport directed the pilot of the inbound plane to an outer area of the facility away from buildings. Staff hurriedly evacuated the 167 passengers from the aircraft and then transported them to the main terminal.
Airport official Kanputt Mungklasisi told Phuket Wan that baggage was checked before each passenger claimed their article individually under the watchful eyes of security personnel. No explosive devices were found in the luggage.
FD3003 was travelling to Phuket from Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport and had a scheduled arrival time of 12:15. Security officers searched the aircraft thoroughly to ensure no bomb had been hidden onboard. The search delayed the aircraft’s departure on its return leg back to Bangkok from 12:50 until just after 15:00.
Today, a senior director with the Airports of Thailand was on his way to Phuket to investigate what now seems to be a hoax call. An anonymous staff member at Phuket Airport said the telephone number used to make the bomb scare has already been given to investigating police officers.
Phuket Airport safely handles bomb scare
News in Asia
Phuket Airport rapidly instigated emergency response procedures yesterday following an alert there was a bomb aboard an arriving aeroplane.