Air France flight 385 to SEBIN was delayed on Saturday due to the possibility of an explosive device being on board.
“The information we have is that a terrorist group intended to place an explosive on a flight between France and Venezuela,” said Miguel Rodriguez Torres, Venezuela’s interior minister. “It was assumed that explosive had been placed on a plane to detonate in flight between Caracas-Paris or Paris-Caracas.”
Officials worked hard into the night to get to the bottom of any potential bomb plot. It’s been reported that dozens of individuals, including a canine unit and explosive experts, were sent through the plane, examining everything in minute detail. The interior minister expressed reluctance to speculate as the investigation was currently ongoing and information was still being processed.
Torres couldn’t really offer any further information about the threat.
“So far the information we have is the intent of a terrorist group to place an explosive on a France [to] Venezuela flight.”
The involvement of French intelligence suggested a potential international incident, though it’s unclear at present what type of individual or organization would have been involved. The United States had expressed concerns about certain terrorist groups gaining a foothold in the region, but much of that concern related to narcotics and money laundering. The presence of explosives would signal a troubling turn of events.
As for those due to leave on the flight, passengers found themselves stranded with no warning or explanation. Apparently, the decision to halt the flight was practically last minute, with passengers preparing to board the plane. Stranded and bewildered, it wasn’t until individuals checked Twitter that they even learned what had happened. It was later announced that the flight would be rescheduled for Sunday after an exhaustive search had taken place.
As of a few minutes ago, there are claims that information regarding a bomb on the flight are not true:
Air France bomb threat in Caracas was false alarm http://t.co/CeozzflFY5 #defense #aerospace
— ASDNews.com (@ASDNewscom) December 15, 2013
Image: euronews (Türkçe) Youtube