One of two terminals at Gatwick Airport has been evacuated as a precaution following the discovery of a “suspicious article,” according to police in the U.K.
Sussex Police said one person was arrested Saturday and an army bomb disposal team was on the scene.
One passenger who was scheduled to catch a flight Saturday, Tim Unwin, said several “armed police” entered Gatwick’s North Terminal and evacuated people. Hundreds of people were moved about 100 yards away from the building, Unwin said.
Heightened awareness due to events in Paris
A police spokeswoman said officers were called to the terminal about 9:30 a.m. (4:30 a.m. ET) after passengers saw a man discarding a “suspicious” item.
“At this time, we are investigating the circumstances of the incident and it is too early to say what the item may be,” Detective Superintendent Nick May said in a written statement. “However, given the events in Paris on Friday evening, there is heightened awareness around any such incident and it is best that we treat the matter in all seriousness.”
At least 128 people were killed late Friday in coordinate attacks in and around Paris.
Gatwick Airport, the second-busiest of London’s several international airports, is about 30 miles (50 kilometers) south of the British capital.