The security alert at Gatwick Airport has since ended, the airport said in a statement.
The incident, which caused much of its airport’s South Terminal to be evacuated, caused some delays and flight cancellations, the airport – Britain’s second busiest – said in a statement on social media platform X.
✅ The earlier security alert has now been resolved and cleared by police. The South Terminal is reopening to staff and will be open to passengers shortly.
Trains will also start calling at Gatwick Airport once the terminal is fully reopened. We would like to thank everyone for…
— London Gatwick LGW (@Gatwick_Airport)
Suspicious hoax package at the US embassy neutralized
British police said today that the device that was detonated with a controlled explosion was a “hoax” device, according to their initial indications.
Police had earlier carried out a controlled explosion near the embassy building, a purpose-built 12-storey glass cube in Nine Elms, south London, and cordoned off certain areas.
Later the operation of the embassy was restored.
“Initial indications are that the object was a hoax device,” London’s Metropolitan Police said. “An investigation will follow.”
“Some area closures will remain in place for the time being, but the majority of the police deployment will now cease.”
The embassy announced that its operation had been restored, but that all appointments scheduled for today with the public had been cancelled.
“Local authorities investigated and cleared a suspicious package outside the embassy,” its statement added.
The United States moved its embassy from Mayfair, central London, to Nine Elms in 2018, partly for security reasons.
This former industrial area is now home to dozens of luxury apartment buildings along with Battersea Power Station, a striking 1930s building with red brick and white chimneys that has been converted into a shopping and tourist hub.
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