Zimbabwe’s security services are on high alert after the government was earlier on Friday, 01 March, made aware of bomb and/or firearm threats targeting Zimbabwean airports.
Reports claim that Victoria Falls International Airport was shut down on Friday morning following a bomb scare.
ZimLive reported sources as saying the airport received a call claiming there was a bomb on site, just minutes before President Emmerson Mnangagwa was due to land.
As a result, President Mnangagwa’s Falcon 7X was forced to abort its land and turn back to Harare, while a Kenyan Airways flight from Nairobi was forced to hold for several minutes before diverting to Livingstone, Zambia.
The bomb threat was confirmed by the Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet (Presidential Communications), George Charamba in a statement issued on Friday afternoon. Reads the statement:
This morning Zimbabwe Airport Authorities were made aware of an e-mail sent through FASTJET AIRLINE by one JOHN DOE claiming a “credible bomb/firearm threat” targeting Zimbabwean airports.
As a precaution, the country’s security systems are now on heightened alert following this message whose source and credibility are also being investigated.
While our country is peaceful, and all our ports of entry are well secured, such alerts on possible terrorist attacks are taken and treated very seriously, as nothing should be left to chance.
The Nation is urged to remain calm while investigations are underway, the results of which will be made public by relevant arms of Government once investigations are concluded.
His Excellency the President, Dr ED Mnangagwa, who this morning was slotted to address a meeting in the prime resort City of Victoria Falls, has had to suspend his trip to allow for investigations which are already underway.
Meanwhile, in another update, ZimLive reported that a Discover Airlines flight from Windhoek touched down at the Victoria Falls International Airport around midday, a clear indication that the bomb threat was over.
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