MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Bomb threat at Santiago airport was a hoax

Bomb threat at Santiago airport was a hoax

A Sky Airlines flight from Santiago de Chile to Calama was evacuated Monday due to a bomb threat made by a passenger during the boarding process. Emergency protocols were activated by Chile's General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics (DGAC), leading to the disembarkation of all passengers and crew. The Carabineros' Special Operations Group (GOPE) is investigating the incident. A passenger allegedly noticed a suspicious bag inside the aircraft, prompting the security response. One person has been detained as part of the ongoing investigation.

A passenger boarding Flight 266, scheduled to depart from Santiago's Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport to Calama, made the threat, which triggered the usual protocols. Passengers were safely evacuated from the aircraft, and security specialists thoroughly inspected the aircraft, finding no explosives. The passenger making the threat was detained by the Investigative Police (PDI). The flight was rescheduled.

“Passengers were disembarked,” the DGAC confirmed in a statement. “Due to a bomb warning made by a passenger during the boarding process of flight SKU 266 Santiago/Calama, DGAC activated emergency protocols,” the agency also explained, as the Carabineros Special Operations Group (GOPE) was deployed.

In a separate event at the same airport, a 79-year-old British national was arrested when trying to smuggle over 5 kilograms of methamphetamine. He had arrived from Mexico and planned to fly to Australia. Customs agents detected the suspicious contents in his luggage using X-ray imaging, leading to his arrest by the Investigative Police (PDI). The drugs were concealed in a fake compartment in his suitcase.

The suspect claimed he received the suitcase from Mexican nationals at Cancún Airport before traveling to Chile, where he was supposed to spend a night before continuing to Sydney. He was charged with drug trafficking and placed in preventive detention for at least 120 days.

Chilean Police also highlighted the increasing presence of methamphetamine in Chile, noting its potent, fast-acting effects and highly addictive nature. While border seizures have risen in recent years, authorities have observed the drug reaching local consumers rather than just passing through the country.