Moments of maximum tension were experienced this Friday at the Comandante Armando Tola International Airport in El Calafate, province of Santa Cruz, after a tourist of Brazilian nationality made a bomb threat.
The man was preparing to board a Flybondi flight (5552) during the morning of the holiday that passed with total normality. But after he said, “I have a bomb,” he spread panic among those present and caused delays in scheduled flights.
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According to the National Civil Aviation Administration (ANAC), the incident occurred at 9:18 and the security protocol was immediately activated, in which the Airport Security Police (PSA) evacuated passengers and workers to the parking lot. In total, There were around 200 people who had to leave the place.
A few minutes later, the Argentine Federal Police fire engines arrived to carry out the corresponding operation. The Brazilian tourist’s belongings were searched and finally no explosive was found between them. Anyway, He was detained at the scene and could not travel on the flight he had assigned.
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Now, must face charges for interfering in the operation of public and transportation services, as indicated in article 194 of the National Penal Code: “Whoever, without creating a situation of common danger, prevents, hinders or hampers the normal operation of land transportation, water or air or public services of communication, provision of water, electricity or energetic substances, will be repressed with three month prison”, establishes the standard.
The episode not only caused terror among those present and a wide deployment of security, but also caused delays, which lasted until around noonat the beginning of a long weekend, with all that that implies. The affected flights were destined for Buenos Aires and Ushuaia, and were from the companies Flybondi, LADE (Líneas Aereas del Estado) and Aerolíneas Argentinas.