Gatwick Airport’s south terminal has been plunged into chaos this morning following the discovery of a suspicious package in a passenger’s luggage.
Airport bosses began probing a piece of baggage shortly after 8am on Friday before ordering passengers to leave.
Eyewitnesses said even passengers who had been through security were being evacuated from the airport, near Crawley in West Sussex.
Gatwick Express services will not stop at the station until 2pm at the earliest while Spanish airline Vueling has turned flights back towards their original destinations.
Sussex Police said it had been called to the South Terminal at 8.20am following the discovery of ‘suspected prohibited item in luggage’.
A bomb squad has been deployed to the busy terminal as a ‘precaution’. Police did not elaborate further on the nature of the discovery.
Eyewitnesses told MailOnline they had seen police with ‘explosive’ patches on their jackets and sniffer dogs entering the terminal.
One passenger told a MailOnline reporter: ‘Nothing much is happening here. The passengers know nothing.’
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Passengers stand outside Gatwick Airport’s South Terminal after it was evacuated on Friday morning following a ‘security incident’
Hundreds of passengers have been sent out into the November cold as security services assess a suspicious piece of luggage
Gatwick Airport issued a statement on X warning that a ‘security incident’ had been reported
Spanish airline Vueling turned a Gatwick-bound flight from Barcelona back towards the Spanish coast after the airport was evacuated
Gatwick Airport said in a statement on X: ‘A large part of the South Terminal has been evacuated as a precaution while we continue to investigate a security incident.
‘Passengers will not be able to enter the South Terminal while this is ongoing.
‘Safety and security of our passengers and staff remains our top priority. We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.’
Police said the discovery of the package, understood to be in the security screening area of the South Terminal, necessitated the creation of a cordon for the safety of passengers and staff.
Video shared on social media showed scores of passengers walking outside the terminal as security staff probed the incident.
Passenger Andy Betts, 50, was meant to be heading off for a long weekend in Rome with his family.
Mr Betts, from West Morley in Kent, told MailOnline: ‘We were meant to be taking off at 12.30. We were just about to go through security at 10.30 when they closed the security checks area and took us outside.
‘They said it was a complete evacuation.’
He said some airport staff had since gone back inside – along with police bearing ‘explosive’ patches on their jackets. Two of the officers had sniffer dogs.
‘Gatwick has brought out some water for us – when the sun’s out it’s alright,’ he added optimistically.
‘We saw police with “explosive” on their jacket go in – two of them had sniffer dogs. It’s just one of these things, isn’t it.’
Another said he got through customs until he was then ordered to leave the terminal.
He wrote on X: ‘Arrived at London Gatwick for routine connection. Got through customs to find out they’re evacuating the entire airport.
‘Even people through security are being taken outside. Trains shut down and 1000’s of all over the streets and carparks waiting.’
Armed police were pictured inside the airport guarding the entrance to the Departures area, which has been blocked with a large shutter.
Other passengers said staff began handing out water bottles as they waited in the cold for further news.
Trains and buses to Gatwick have been suspended while the incident is ongoing.
Passengers filter their way down the stairs, urged on by police officers, as Gatwick Airport is evacuated
Police say they were called to the airport at 8.20am and have sent in a bomb squad as a precaution
Armed police at the entrance to the departures area at Gatwick Airport’s South Terminal (left) after passengers were told to evacuate (right)
Passengers outside Gatwick’s south terminal after a suspected prohibited item was discovered in luggae
The Gatwick Express X account told passengers: ‘Gatwick Airport will not be served until further notice.
‘This is due to the Police and emergency services dealing with an incident at the airport. Trains cannot call at Gatwick Airport until further notice.
‘Thameslink, Southern and Gatwick Express trains can still run through the area, but will NOT be stopping at Gatwick Airport.’
A Sussex Police spokesperson said: ‘Police were called to the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport at 8.20am on Friday (22 November) following the discovery of a suspected prohibited item in luggage.
‘To ensure the safety of the public, staff and other airport users, a security cordon has been put in place whilst the matter is dealt with.
‘As a precaution, an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team is being deployed to the airport.
‘This is causing significant disruption and some roads around the South Terminal have been closed. We’d advise the public to avoid the area where possible.’
The North Terminal is continuing to operate as normal, airport staff told social media users via X.
Gatwick is Britain’s second busiest airport, serving approximately 41 million passengers a year.
The Gatwick evacuation came after a controlled explosion was carried out at the US Embassy in Nine Elms. No link has been established between the two incidents
A police cordon near the US Embassy in Nine Elms, London, where Metropolitan Police officers carried out a ‘controlled explosion’ after reports of a suspicious package
Videos from inside the embassy showed dozens of people on the ground floor waiting for the incident to conclude
It came after a controlled explosion was carried out at the US Embassy in London earlier today. No link has been established between the incidents.
Witnesses said roads around the embassy were closed to traffic and armed police officers and the fire service are at the scene in Nine Elms.
A ‘loud bang’ was reported in the area shortly after a cordon was put into place.
The Met confirmed this was a ‘controlled explosion’ as part of their investigation.
A spokesperson for the Met Police said: ‘We’re aware of speculation online about an incident in the vicinity of the US Embassy in Nine Elms.
‘Cordons are in place in the area as a precaution while officers investigate a suspect package.
‘We can confirm that the ‘loud bang’ reported in the area a short time ago was a controlled explosion carried out by officers.
‘Enquiries are still ongoing and cordons will remain in place for the time being.’