Update: 7:54AM AIRPORTS Fiji Ltd encountered a spate of bomb threats earlier this year with one man taken to court for allegedly carrying an explosive in a tool kit.
This was
revealed by AFL Air Traffic Management and Aviation Training general manager
Isei Tudreu while making submissions before the Standing Committees on Foreign
Affairs and Defence in Nadi yesterday.
Responding
to a question posed by Opposition MP Ro Kiniviliame Kiliraki on whether
authorities at the Nadi International Airport were able to address a bomb
threat, Mr Tudreu said AFL had faced numerous threats in the first quarter and
the organisation was able to effectively deal with the issue through its
airport emergency plan.
“We
had a spate of bomb threats at the beginning of the year within the first
quarter,” he said.
“We were able to address these. Right now there is a gentleman in court.”
“The person was employed at the airport and they said there was a bomb in his toolkit. We have a plan that is able to address any activity that is out of the norm.”
“Specifically for bomb threats we carry out exercises which are practical exercises. In these emergency exercises and plan, all of the stakeholders play a part.”
He said airport authorities also sought the assistance of the military in the event of a threat.
“They are very important to us. They have a bomb disposal area and a bomb route that they take. We are dependent on institutions like the military to conduct the technical side of the threat.”
Mr Tudreu said while they had the capacity to handle a bomb threat, the authority was open to improvements.
