Explosives warning by airline forces Kutaisi-Barcelona flight back to airport
The Kutaisi International Airport said the crew of the Hungarian airline had turned back the jet following the call. Photo: Kutaisi International Airport
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A Wizz Air flight from Kutaisi in western Georgia to Barcelona in Spain was on Wednesday forced into abortive landing after the airline contacted law enforcement with concerns about potential explosives onboard.
The Kutaisi International Airport said the crew of the Hungarian airline had turned back the jet following the call.
It added “all necessary agencies” were on site for further inquiry.
Irakli Karkashadze, the Director of the United Airports of Georgia, reaffirmed with the press “all necessary agencies have been informed, and efforts are underway” over the potential presence of explosives onboard.
Approximately 5-10 minutes after takeoff, our operations service received notification from the crew that they were urgently returning to Kutaisi International Airport due to information over a potential explosive substance onboard. Following standard procedures, relevant services were mobilised. The aircraft landed at Kutaisi Airport, and passengers were immediately evacuated”, he said.
The official further noted “all relevant authorities have been informed of the situation”, and they were expecting the outcomes after the completion of all mandatory procedures.
Hungarian budget airline Wizz Air on Saturday launched direct flights between Georgia’s western city of Kutaisi and Danish capital Copenhagen, the United Airports of Georgia announced.
Hungarian budget airline Wizz Air will add new routes from Georgia’s western Kutaisi International Airport to five European cities starting in June, the United Airports of Georgia announced on Tuesday.
Georgian economy minister Levan Davitashvili and Tamar Archuadze, the general director of the United Airports of Georgia, on Friday met József Váradi, the general director of Hungarian budget airline Wizz Air, in Tbilisi to discuss future cooperation, the ministry of economy announced.
United Airports of Georgia has started a ₾8 million (about $2.8 mln) renovation that will add a new runway at western Georgia’s Kutaisi international airport.
Irakli Karkashadze, the Director of the United Airports of Georgia, said no explosives had been found onboard the Wizz Air jet that was forced into abortive landing after departing western Georgia’s Kutaisi International Airport for Barcelona on Wednesday.
The Georgian State Security Service on Saturday said it had arrested a Georgian citizen for a false report on explosives onboard the Wizz Air flight from Kutaisi in western Georgia to Barcelona in Spain, which forced the jet into abortive landing on Wednesday.