Heathrow Airport: Security, Accidents, Incidents and Terrorism
Security
To provide airport security, the BAA (British Airports Authority) works with all airport agencies and services as well as with the Home Office, the Department for Transport (DFT), the Airport Security Committee (ASC) and the Multi-Agency Threat Risk Assessment (MATRA).
According to a survey conducted in February, 2009 passengers regard Heathrow Airport as the best major international airport in terms of security. To protect passengers and employees against accidents, the airport has a new fire station located at the end of runway 27 right, in addition to another fire station at the other end of the airport.
For deterrence and detection of criminal activity, Heathrow is equipped with CCTV cameras. Detailed background checks of all employees are carried out before they are issued with electronically coded photo ID cards allowing them access to secure airport zones.
A major aspect of airport security today is passenger and luggage screening to guard against terrorism. Heathrow Airport's security systems combine the use of state-of-the-art screening technologies and searches conducted by hand. Biometric security checks and digital photographing of passengers were introduced at the Heathrow's new Terminal 5, which also has a new baggage security scanning system than can identify explosives and liquids and take multiple views of luggage.
Although Heathrow Airport's cutting-edge security arrangements are regularly reviewed by independent organizations, the airport has had its share of accidents, incidents and terrorist attacks.
Accidents
* The airport was the scene of at least two airplane accidents when it was still called 'London Airport,' before it became known as Heathrow Airport: A Sabena Airlines crash in 1848 and an Avro Vulcan bomber crash in 1956.
* In June 1972, a British European Airways airliner crash killed all 118 people on board the aircraft.
* In January 2008, Flight BA038 from Beijing landed short of the runway at Heathrow Airport. Although the undercarriage, left wing and left engine of the aircraft were severely damaged and one of its wheels torn off, there were only three minor injuries.
Terrorism
* In 1974, bombs planted by the IRA in Heathrow parking Terminal 1 injured two people.
* In 1986, explosives were discovered in the luggage of an Irishwoman attempting to board an El Al flight at Heathrow Airport.
* On December 21, 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 flying from Heathrow Airport to JFK International Airport exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland. The explosives had been packed into passenger luggage. The explosion killed the 259 people on board the aircraft and 11 people on the ground. Two Libyans were finally arrested and one was sentenced to life imprisonment. In 2003, the Libyan government accepted responsibility for the attacks and agreed to pay compensation to the victims' families.
* In 1994, IRA terrorists fired 12 mortars in the airport over a six-day period, none of which exploded.
Incidents
* In November 1983, 25 million pounds worth of gold was stolen from the Heathrow depot of the Brinks-Mat security company, just outside of the Heathrow Airport's perimeter. Although police estimated that 15 people were involved in the planning of the robbery, only three persons were convicted. Most of the gold was never been recovered.
* On February 2002, 4.6m ($6m) was stolen from a high security zone in Heathrow Airport's Terminal 4. Police suspected an inside job.
* In March 2002, 2.25m ($3.2m) was stolen by a part time security guard working at the airport.
* In May 2004, Scotland Yard's Flying Squad foiled an attempt to steal 40 million in gold bullion and a quantity of cash from the Swissport depot at Heathrow.
* In November 2003, the last British Airways Concorde flew from Heathrow to the Bristol airfield, ending the era of supersonic travel.
* On the morning of February 25, 2008, Greenpeace activists climbed on top of a British Airways Airbus A320 and held up a banner reading, "Climate Emergency - No Third Runway" to protest the plan to construct a third runway at Heathrow Airport.
* In March 2008, armed police arrested a man who had run onto the northern runway of Heathrow Airport carrying a bag. A controlled explosion of the bag revealed that it did not contain explosives.
* On January 20, 2009, fifteen South African Airlines crewmembers were arrested at Heathrow Airport when 50 kilograms of cannabis and four kilograms of cocaine were discovered in three suitcases on the airline's flight from Johannesburg.
* On February 12, 2009, Dutch right-wing lawmaker Geert Wilders was detained at Heathrow Airport and denied entry into the UK. Wilders is banned from entering Great Britain, but had made the trip anyway.
* On February 17, 2009, customs officials arrested the crew of a South African Airlines after seizing 250,000 worth of cocaine.
The above are some of the more significant terrorist attacks, accidents and incidents that have occurred at Heathrow Airport - an airport where security is judged as one of the best among major international airports!
To provide airport security, the BAA (British Airports Authority) works with all airport agencies and services as well as with the Home Office, the Department for Transport (DFT), the Airport Security Committee (ASC) and the Multi-Agency Threat Risk Assessment (MATRA).
According to a survey conducted in February, 2009 passengers regard Heathrow Airport as the best major international airport in terms of security. To protect passengers and employees against accidents, the airport has a new fire station located at the end of runway 27 right, in addition to another fire station at the other end of the airport.
For deterrence and detection of criminal activity, Heathrow is equipped with CCTV cameras. Detailed background checks of all employees are carried out before they are issued with electronically coded photo ID cards allowing them access to secure airport zones.
A major aspect of airport security today is passenger and luggage screening to guard against terrorism. Heathrow Airport's security systems combine the use of state-of-the-art screening technologies and searches conducted by hand. Biometric security checks and digital photographing of passengers were introduced at the Heathrow's new Terminal 5, which also has a new baggage security scanning system than can identify explosives and liquids and take multiple views of luggage.
Although Heathrow Airport's cutting-edge security arrangements are regularly reviewed by independent organizations, the airport has had its share of accidents, incidents and terrorist attacks.
Accidents
* The airport was the scene of at least two airplane accidents when it was still called 'London Airport,' before it became known as Heathrow Airport: A Sabena Airlines crash in 1848 and an Avro Vulcan bomber crash in 1956.
* In June 1972, a British European Airways airliner crash killed all 118 people on board the aircraft.
* In January 2008, Flight BA038 from Beijing landed short of the runway at Heathrow Airport. Although the undercarriage, left wing and left engine of the aircraft were severely damaged and one of its wheels torn off, there were only three minor injuries.
Terrorism
* In 1974, bombs planted by the IRA in Heathrow parking Terminal 1 injured two people.
* In 1986, explosives were discovered in the luggage of an Irishwoman attempting to board an El Al flight at Heathrow Airport.
* On December 21, 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 flying from Heathrow Airport to JFK International Airport exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland. The explosives had been packed into passenger luggage. The explosion killed the 259 people on board the aircraft and 11 people on the ground. Two Libyans were finally arrested and one was sentenced to life imprisonment. In 2003, the Libyan government accepted responsibility for the attacks and agreed to pay compensation to the victims' families.
* In 1994, IRA terrorists fired 12 mortars in the airport over a six-day period, none of which exploded.
Incidents
* In November 1983, 25 million pounds worth of gold was stolen from the Heathrow depot of the Brinks-Mat security company, just outside of the Heathrow Airport's perimeter. Although police estimated that 15 people were involved in the planning of the robbery, only three persons were convicted. Most of the gold was never been recovered.
* On February 2002, 4.6m ($6m) was stolen from a high security zone in Heathrow Airport's Terminal 4. Police suspected an inside job.
* In March 2002, 2.25m ($3.2m) was stolen by a part time security guard working at the airport.
* In May 2004, Scotland Yard's Flying Squad foiled an attempt to steal 40 million in gold bullion and a quantity of cash from the Swissport depot at Heathrow.
* In November 2003, the last British Airways Concorde flew from Heathrow to the Bristol airfield, ending the era of supersonic travel.
* On the morning of February 25, 2008, Greenpeace activists climbed on top of a British Airways Airbus A320 and held up a banner reading, "Climate Emergency - No Third Runway" to protest the plan to construct a third runway at Heathrow Airport.
* In March 2008, armed police arrested a man who had run onto the northern runway of Heathrow Airport carrying a bag. A controlled explosion of the bag revealed that it did not contain explosives.
* On January 20, 2009, fifteen South African Airlines crewmembers were arrested at Heathrow Airport when 50 kilograms of cannabis and four kilograms of cocaine were discovered in three suitcases on the airline's flight from Johannesburg.
* On February 12, 2009, Dutch right-wing lawmaker Geert Wilders was detained at Heathrow Airport and denied entry into the UK. Wilders is banned from entering Great Britain, but had made the trip anyway.
* On February 17, 2009, customs officials arrested the crew of a South African Airlines after seizing 250,000 worth of cocaine.
The above are some of the more significant terrorist attacks, accidents and incidents that have occurred at Heathrow Airport - an airport where security is judged as one of the best among major international airports!
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