Airport security threat came hours before evacuation

Ports of Jersey was emailed hours before action was taken about a possible security threat that led to 300 passengers being evacuated from the airport on 5 March, it has admitted.

Ports of Jersey told the external relations minister that an email detailing a threat was sent to the customer enquires email address at 23:16 GMT on 4 March.

However, that email was not seen until the morning of 5 March as the account was only monitored "during the operational hours of the airport".

The statement went on to say that the threat "was identified on 05 March 2025 during the standard airport opening procedures" and a decision was "taken to evacuate the terminal building".

Passengers were allowed back into the airport after a search of the terminal had been completed and the threat was deemed to be non-credible.

This response from the Ports of Jersey was included in a written answer from the External Relations Minister Ian Gorst to a question from Deputy Jonathan Renouf.

Ports of Jersey added that: "The team activated emergency protocols.

"Threat assessors conducted a thorough risk evaluation, and the decision was taken to evacuate the terminal building."

"After a search of the terminal had been completed, the airport resumed operations at 11:02."

Deputy Renouf, who asked the question about what date and time a communication was received, said that "a bomb threat to the airport [which] went undetected for many hours because it was received out of hours" was "deeply concerning".

He said: "The consequences of failing to spot the warning could have been horrendous.

"As it is, hundred of passengers and staff were inconvenienced, whereas, if the threat had been assessed earlier, when the threat was received, that might have been avoided."

Renouf went on to say that it was "a little short of scandalous that it is only now, under sustained questioning from the media and from politicians, that Ports are admitting that the bomb threat went undetected for many hours".

When approached by the BBC, Ports of Jersey said: "We are unable to give any more details of the specifics of this threat due to laws which govern aviation security.

"As with any security incident, we cannot comment any further on this matter or actions taken."

The BBC also approached the government but it had no further comment to make.

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