A Ryanair flight from Porto caused alarm on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Charleroi Airport in Belgium. A bomb threat was triggered shortly before 11 a.m., as the plane was preparing to land. While the aircraft landed safely, it was immediately isolated on the tarmac and placed under heavy surveillance. On board, 166 passengers remained confined for nearly two hours while the police took over.
Airport paralyzed, runway closed, traffic diverted
Faced with the threat, a 500-meter security perimeter was set up around the plane. The airport's single runway was temporarily closed, as was an adjacent national road. While the terminal remained accessible, several flights had to be diverted, notably to Lille-Lesquin Airport, which received five planes initially expected in Charleroi. The gradual evacuation of passengers began shortly after 13 p.m., under police supervision. At this stage, no explosives have been found, but the authorities are not ruling out any possibility. The investigation is continuing to determine the origin of the alert, while the shocked passengers were able to return to the terminal after long, tense hours of waiting.
