Security alert at Dublin airport after Ebola plane prank
Gardaí are investigating after an Aer Lingus plane had to go into lockdown in Dublin Airport following a prank by a passenger which sparked a brief Ebola scare.
The EI 433 flight, due to land in Dublin Airport at 13.15 this afternoon, arrived 17 minutes early but remained on the tarmac with passengers inside one of those on board believed to have written 'Be careful, Ebola' on a coffee cup.
The plane Dad is on is still sitting on the tarmac of Dublin Airport. The man made the Ebola threat by writing on a coffee cup. So scary.
— Odette (@Odie_T) October 30, 2014
The authorities were immediately contacted and it was quickly determined that the passenger did not have any signs of the deadly virus.
A spokesman for the Dublin Airport Authority said: "Following a minor security incident on board an Aer Lingus flight from Milan to Dublin, passengers were held on board the aircraft after it landed at Dublin Airport just before 1pm today.
"As a precaution, the incident was fully investigated by before passengers and crew disembarked as normal. The incident is now a matter for the gardaí."
The man who wrote the message on the cup is understood to be Italian.
It is not known how many passengers were on the flight but it is understood there was little if any panic among those on board.
A spokesman for Aer Lingus said: "A security issue arose on flight EI 433 (Milan to Dublin.) As a precaution passengers and crew were temporarily detained on board the aircraft while the matter was investigated. Passengers have now disembarked the aircraft. An Garda Siochana are now dealing with the matter. As this is a security matter we have no further comment."
