Ahead Of Paris Olympics, Basel-Mulhouse Airport Evacuated For Security Reasons (image-facebook/EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg)
A Franco-Swiss airport has been evacuated ahead of the Paris Olympics 2024 opening ceremony citing ‘security reasons.’ The evacuation comes following a bomb alert at the terminal on Friday, reports The Standard.
“For safety reasons, the terminal had to be evacuated and is currently closed,” the Basel-Mulhouse EuroAirport said on its website.
The Paris Olympics opening ceremony will begin on Friday evening.
Read also: France: High-Speed Rail Face Series Of Attacks Ahead Of Olympic Ceremony
The Basel-Mulhouse EuroAirport said on X: “The airport has reopened, and flight operations are gradually restarting. Passengers are requested to contact their airline for information about their flight. We wish you a safe and happy journey.”
The airport staff later said that the operation at the airport had slowly resumed. “The airport and flight operations are gradually restarting.”
The EuroAirport, which is located on the French side of the border near Basel, welcomed eight million passengers in 2023.
The earlier incident on the rail network paralyzed several high-speed lines linking the French capital to the rest of France and to neighbouring countries, according to transport minister Patrice Vergriete.
After the massive sabotage, several Eurostar trains between Paris and London were cancelled on Friday. “All trains departing and towards Paris will be diverted onto the normal line on Friday,” Eurostar said on its website.
Read also: Rain Threat Looms Over Grand Paris Olympics 2024 Opening Ceremony
The French authorities said the railways had been targeted in “co-ordinated” vandalism ahead of the Olympic Games. Eurostar has advised passengers to postpone their travel on Friday following the acts of vandalism.
With the Olympics opening ceremony at the doorstep, France is leaving no stone unturned. Paris is rolling out an unprecedented peacetime security operation to secure the event, with more than 45,000 police, 10,000 soldiers and 2,000 private security agents deployed. Snipers will be on rooftops and drones keeping watch from the air.
