The Cayman Islands Airports Authority confirmed Thursday afternoon that there was a “security incident” at Owen Roberts International Airport in which passengers from a diverted flight from Jamaica mixed with other departing passengers from multiple flights.
The incident, the CIAA explained, occurred after the passengers from Jamaica merged with outgoing travellers in the departure hall, “creating a security concern” that required everyone to undergo additional screening.
The flight had been diverted to Grand Cayman due to the temporary closure of the Sangster International Airport runway in Montego Bay, Jamaica, the CIAA said, and the 176 passengers on board were directed to a holding area inside the departure hall to await further instructions on continuing their journey.
According to a report in the Jamaica Observer, the closure of the Montego Bay airport “stemmed from an equipment issue that occurred during runway extension work which was being carried out overnight. However, the issue was not resolved on the runway in time for use Thursday morning.”
The airport’s runway reopened around 3pm Thursday.
That situation led to chaos in Jamaica as well as in Cayman, with the CIAA estimating a wait time of 3.5 hours.
However, during the wait, some passengers from the diverted Jamaica flight ventured out of their holding area and mixed with other outgoing passengers in the departure hall, the airports authority said.
“Out of an abundance of caution, and to maintain regulatory requirements, all passengers and personnel inside the departure hall were required to exit and be rescreened at the security check point to ensure the integrity of the airport’s security protocols,” the CIAA statement said.
Noting that all diversion procedures were followed by airport, airline and Customs and Border Control officials, the CIAA said that the safety and security of passengers was a top priority.
“Upon the detection of the incident, our trained security personnel acted swiftly to contain the situation and initiate the necessary security procedures. The incident, which affected four airlines, was quickly resolved with an average departure delay of 40 minutes.
“We are conducting a thorough investigation to understand the circumstances that led to this occurrence and collaborating closely with airport partners and CBC officials,” it said.
The CIAA apologised for any disruption to the affected passengers, acknowledging that the re-screening process caused inconvenience.
“However, these measures are vital to maintain the highest level of safety for everyone travelling through the airport,” the authority said. “The CIAA remains committed to upholding the highest standards of security and safety at Owen Roberts International Airport and will continue to work diligently, along with airport partners, to prevent such incidents in the future.”
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